Hades and Persephone
by Darkshadow91
Summary: I'm not good at coming up with titles or summaries. Basically my take on the Hades and Persephone story. HxP Rated T for safety. Be ready for lots of fluff.
1. Chapter 1

The day was warm and sunny.

He hated it.

He pulled at his dark cloak, settling further into the shadows of the trees. He was not a creature of light. Rather, he was the lord of darkness and shadows.

And it seemed that fate enjoyed mocking him.

For it had happened that he, Hades, Lord of the Underworld, had fallen in love with the goddess of springtime and light, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, Persephone.

He ran a hand through his coal black hair, sighing wearily. He shifted again and then stood still. The young goddess had arrived in the meadow. Her golden curls hung down her back, almost reaching her waist. Her green eyes shone happily, her creamy peach skin seemingly glowing.

He couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She was unlike anything he'd ever seen, so pure and light, so different from himself. The heart that he hadn't known he had gave a painful thump.

He wished that he could just go up to her and perhaps start a conversation. But he was sure that Demeter would sooner have him struck down by one of Zeus' lighting bolts than allow him to even say hello to her daughter.

He had been on Mount Olympus that day, attempting to get it through Ares' thick skull that if the temperamental god wanted to keep his reproductive system, the war god would stop causing so many wars. He was having to work overtime, while the other gods frolicked around and it was exhausting.

That day, he had caught a glimpse of her. Demeter had been beside the young goddess, guiding her along and glaring at any of the male gods that looked their way. She had even glared at him, before she realized who she was glaring at and quickly turned her face away. He watched as various male gods presented gifts to Demeter in exchange for the beautiful girl but all of their offers were refused.

To tell the truth, he had found her quite beautiful himself. But being the only responsible god besides Athena, he pushed the girl from his mind and once again tried dealing with the stubborn war-god before him.

And then Eros had to nose around in his business.

Hades swore that if the love god ever dared to approach him again, he would find himself in the belly of Cerberus.

As if sensing the vengeful aura emanating from him, the goddess turned, looking into the dark forest. He shrank farther back into the shadows, not wanting to be discovered. He was sure she would be afraid of him. Everyone always was. He had absolutely no chance of wooing her. He closed his eyes and ran a hand over his pale face.

It was hopeless. He knew it.

Then why did he find himself coming to the above world every day to watch her?

He really was going to murder that toga-wearing, arrow-shooting, perverted love god and his shallow mother and give them a piece of his mind. Perhaps a few days in the furies presence would teach the two love gods to NEVER mess with him again.

"What is it, Persephone?"

He brought his attention back to the goddess and her group of nymphs to hear her answer.

"I thought I saw something move in the forest," her sweet voice rang out in the silence, making him shiver, "A person."

The nymphs were instantly on alert, looking into the woods closely. One ran off into the small house nearby.

Soon, Demeter had come out, a worried look on her motherly face. Persephone rolled her eyes and sighed, but still kept her attention on the woods.

Hades shifted, not liking where this was going at all. He cursed as he realized he should have left sooner. Demeter would be sure to recognize his presence. His mind worked quickly to formulate a plan, and then remembered that he had been meaning to speak with Demeter anyway. It would just be a little sooner than he had planned.

"Persephone, are you all right?"

"Yes, mother, I'm fine. You needn't worry," the girl sounded exasperated, as if she'd had this conversation many times before.

"All right, show yourself! I know you're there!"

Hades sighed before pulling his black cloak tighter around him and stepping from the shadows, toward the two goddesses. It didn't take him long before he stood towering over them. He noticed that Persephone barely came up to his chest.

As expected, Demeter paled and began trembling. What surprised him was that Persephone did no such thing. She looked up at his tall form, her green eyes curious.

"Good morning, Demeter, Persephone" he bowed his head, making sure that none of his emotions would show on his face. He noticed Persephone shiver and cursed himself. He hadn't meant to frighten her. Unlike, Zeus' warm, booming voice, his own was soft and silky, usually devoid of any warmth whatsoever. He never had to raise his voice to make his subjects tremble.

"H-Hades, what are you doing here?"

He sighed again. This was one of the things he hated. Everyone was always afraid of him. Even the gods. He was a loner. Always had been and always would be.

"I've come to ask for a favor," he fidgeted with the clasp of his cloak, not feeling comfortable in the bright sunlight. The nymphs behind the two goddesses were whispering and giggling and he could feel a headache coming on. He narrowed his eyes, giving them a full glare. They froze and squeaked, shaking in fright. Nymphs always annoyed him.

"Well, what is it?"

He pushed a strand of coal black hair out of his eyes before speaking, "Some of the humans in the lower region of the planet are starving…I know that they insulted you but they apologized, didn't they?"

Demeter grumbled but nodded, "I'm still not appeased though."

He frowned, "They've been offering you fruits once again…All of their food is going to you. That's why they're starving…"

"Still, Brother, you've never been one to care for humanity," Demeter said in a petulant voice.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, willing his growing headache to go away, "Do you have any idea how many dead I've had to judge this week alone? With that war-crazed idiot of a brother causing the humans to start a war, I've been working nonstop…add to the casualties of war, the starved victims of your famine, you get a tumult of dead people all clamoring that they were good in their lives. And I cannot be a fair judge if I have a killer headache and am utterly exhausted, now can I?"

His voice had turned chillingly cold, his eyes sparking with weariness and fury. Was he the only responsible god? He honestly couldn't believe how childish his siblings could be.

"Mother, can you please consider it? The people seem truly repentant! And it would help Lord Hades…"

Hades was surprised by Persephone's intervention, as was Demeter. He blinked a few times, looking at her. She shyly met his gaze before blushing and looking away. It thoroughly perplexed him.

"Well, I guess I can lift the famine…"

He gave a sigh of relief, "Thank you, Demeter."

He allowed himself to offer them a small, genuine smile, feeling a weight lift off of him. For one, he wasn't murdered by Demeter for watching her daughter. Two, his workload had decreased greatly. And three, he had gotten to talk to Persephone, though indirectly, and found that she didn't seem afraid of him. Though she still seemed nervous in his presence. That was understandable though.

Both Demeter and her daughter's cheeks turned a light pink. Demeter coughed into her hand, trying to hide her pink cheeks, while Persephone looked down at the ground. Hades cocked his head to the side, now thoroughly confused. He was sure he'd never understand females. His action only served to make the two females cheeks redden further.

"I…ah, I will take my leave. I am not as comfortable in the sun as both of you seem to be. Demeter, Persephone. Good day to you both," he brushed a soft kiss over both their hands before turning around and melting into the shadows.

He failed to notice the dreamy sigh that escaped Persephone's mouth as he vanished into the dark forest.


	2. Chapter 2

Persephone sighed again, shifting in her bed. It seemed that sleep was determined not to come to her tonight. She closed her eyes but it was no use. She felt her cheeks flush hot again just thinking on it.

Hades was unlike anything that the nymphs had told her he was.

Because her mother always made sure she was protected, she rarely interacted with the other gods, aside from her father. So she resorted to asking the nymphs for information. They tended to blow things out of proportion, but it was the only way to know about the others. Asking her mother was out of the question.

She had been the most curious about Hades, the Lord of the Underworld. No one seemed to want to speak of him. As if speaking his name was a curse. And that made her all the more curious. After much pleading, the nymphs told her all that they could. They had said that he was a cold man, with no feelings. They had told her that he wasn't as attractive as the other gods and that he was dark and cruel. That was why he had no throne on Mount Olympus and spent all his time in his dark castle, on a throne made of human bones.

But he had been nothing like that.

She had been in her favorite meadow when she'd felt his powerful presence. It reminded her of her father's own presence. Her mother had come from the house, flustered and worried. As always. She reassured her mother that she was fine.

She had watched intently as Demeter called out to the unknown god in the forest.

And promptly felt her breath catching in her throat.

She had not been expecting the sight that greeted her. There was no doubt in her mind as to who the figure in black was.

He had slipped out of the shadows, his dark cloak billowing in the wind. His pitch black hair shone darkly as he stepped out into the sunlight, it looked slightly messy as if he had just stumbled out of bed. His complexion was pale, as if he had never before been touched by the sun. He had sharp, aristocratic features on his young face. Contrary to what the nymphs had told her, he did not have a beard. Rather, he was clean-shaven and very young looking. He looked even younger than her father though she had heard that Hades was the oldest of the gods. He was rather tall in stature and leaner than the gods she had met. Though she could still see the way his muscles bunched in his forearm as he reached up and adjusted the cloak tighter around him.

He quite simply took her breath away. She really hadn't expected the god of the Underworld to be so…attractive. She had tipped her head to look up at him, curious as to what he needed, though butterflies continued to flit around in her stomach.

'And his voice…ah…'

His voice had been rich and deep, striking a chord deep within her. He had spoken softly, almost whispering as if every word he uttered was a secret. Her legs had wobbled and she feared she would not be able to stand upright.

She was not really listening to what was being said, opting to just listen to his low soft-spoken voice.

She felt herself swoon when he fixed the giggling nymphs behind her with a hard glare, his dark eyes menacing. She watched as he pushed a strand of his dark hair out of his eyes and continued to talk with her mother. No expression crossed his face but she could see the emotions tumbling around in his deep dark-blue eyes. Frustration, irritation, weariness all swirled around his dark blue orbs.

She finally caught the gist of the conversation, realizing this had to do with the famine her mother had put upon a village in the lower region of the planet.

"Mother, can you please consider it? The people seem truly repentant! And it would help Lord Hades…"

She could feel his surprise and looked up to meet his questioning gaze. An electric tingle ran through her as their eyes met and she quickly looked down, her face flushed. She did not hear what her mother replied, her heartbeat seemed too loud in her ears.

"Thank you, Demeter," she could hear the slight relief in his voice as he expressed his gratitude. She relaxed as she realized that her mother had agreed. She chanced a look up at him and felt her heart skip a beat.

He was smiling.

His lips had quirked up into a small smile. It had to have been the most beautiful sight Persephone had ever seen. Her mother also seemed at a loss for words. Her mother coughed in embarrassment and Persephone noted that her mother's cheeks were as pink as her own. She looked down at the ground, before looking up again at the god.

She nearly had another heart attack. The mighty Lord of the Underworld, who Persephone had imagined would be grotesque, was adorably cocking his head to one side, his eyebrows furrowed and a small frown on his handsome face. He rather reminded her of a puppy who was confused. She could feel the heat from her cheeks. An awkward silence seemed to hang in the air.

"I…ah, I will take my leave. I am not as comfortable in the sun as both of you seem to be. Demeter, Persephone. Good day to you both," his deep voice echoed his discomfort.

Before she knew what was happening, he had bent down and brushed his lips against the back of her mother's hand. She saw her mother's cheeks light up and Persephone felt strangely disappointed and just a tiny bit jealous.

Until he brought her own hand to his lips and placed a gossamer kiss on it. She met his scorching gaze and felt her entire body heat up. From this close, she could smell his earthy scent. It was intoxicating and reminded Persephone of the way the world smelled after a storm.

He had then left just as quietly as he had come, melting into the shadows and vanishing from sight.

And he had refused to leave her thoughts since. She sighed, standing up and moving towards the window. She looked out at the starry sky, unconsciously realizing that Hades' eyes were the exact same shade. She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thoughts of the dark god out of her head.

"What is happening to me?"

The stars offered no answer to her soft-spoken question. She sighed, letting the night breeze wash over her body. She felt her eyelids droop, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. She felt herself wobbling on the window sill before a warm hand grasped her shoulder, steadying her.

"Sleep, dear Persephone. Sleep and dream of sunshine and spring," a soft male voice whispered. Persephone felt herself falling deeper into unconsciousness even as she fought against it. The last thing she saw was a pair of dark blue eyes shining with warmth before her world turned black.

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I'll be updating this every friday. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.


	3. Chapter 3

Hades sat on his throne, enjoying the lull in the judgments. He relaxed further into the plush seating, letting his thoughts wander. Not surprisingly, his thoughts centered on a certain golden-haired goddess.

He really did not know what to make of her reaction to him.

Persephone hadn't seemed afraid, though she had shivered one or two times. Her cheeks had also turned light pink. Never had he elicited that reaction from anyone and he didn't know what to make of it.

He wasn't sure if it was a good sign of not. He hoped it was a positive sign.

He judged a few more souls before retiring for his bedchambers. He hoped that he'd have a good night's rest. He knew he desperately needed it.

But he found that he couldn't sleep. Thoughts of the young goddess continued to swirl in his head, chasing sleep away from him.

He tossed and turned in his luxurious bed before making up his mind.

He'd go and check in on her. Just to make sure she was safe.

He chuckled bitterly, 'I really am pathetic.'

Materializing in a spot near her house, he kept alert for any signs of movement. He let his eyes roam the house until he spotted her. He found her sitting by her window, a torn look on her tired face. He could tell that she was trying to fight off sleep. Her eyelids fluttered as she struggled to stay awake.

Teleporting, he stood in her room, silently regarding her. She was swaying dangerously now and he worried she'd fall to the floor and hurt herself. Making up his mind, he stepped forward, lightly steadying her by putting his hand on her shoulder.

"Sleep, dear Persephone. Sleep and dream of sunshine and spring," he whispered warmly in her ear. Her green eyes were unfocused and clouded with exhaustion as they met his dark blue ones, before they closed.

He scooped her up in his arms, marveling at how tiny she was. She easily fit into his embrace.

He walked toward her bed, pulling back the sheets and setting her down carefully. Pulling up the covers, he stood back and just let himself have a bit of time to fully admire her.

Her golden hair was spread around her head like a halo. Her skin seemed to glow in the moonlight. Her chest rose and fell with her even breathing.

She was breathtaking.

He reached down, brushing a few strands of her golden hair out of her face.

And was shocked when she turned into his touch.

He retracted his hand, his eyes wide. She whimpered before shifting again, snuggling deeper into her covers. His heart was beating wildly in his chest.

Before he could ponder more on her reaction, the sound of Demeter shifting in her own bed snapped him out of his trance.

He quickly teleported out.

That would be one situation that he was sure he wouldn't be able to talk his way out of.

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Hades was furious.

Though his features were schooled to look as if he was indifferent, all the other gods caught the murderous aura radiating from the Dark Lord of the Underworld as he stalked toward the throne room.

"ZEUS…"

The word was a mere whisper but it had everyone in the large throne room shivering in fright. Zeus' golden head turned toward the doorway, blue eyes wide, seemingly the only one not affected by the dark aura surrounding the other god.

"Hades, what brings you here?"

Hades eyes narrowed dangerously, sparking with a cold fury. Zeus, ever the oblivious one continued to gaze at the seemingly indifferent god, a puzzled look in his baby blue eyes.

"Does my kingdom look like a garbage disposal to you? Does it, brother?"

Many of the other gods flinched at the chilling tone, though the sentence was said in a soft and crooning voice, as if Hades was speaking to a disobedient child and not to the ruling god.

"Ah…No?"

"Then tell me, dear brother, why there is a cursed woman in my Underworld?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm sure I haven't banished any woman to the underworld recently," Zeus replied nervously, finally catching on to the angry aura surrounding his older brother.

"Oh, no? I daresay this one is quite hard to forget, seeing that her entire hair consisted of writhing snakes," he spoke through clenched teeth, attempting to remain calm. Dealing with Zeus always got him riled. He thanked whatever deity had given him the luck to draw the Underworld as his lot. That way, he wouldn't have to deal with his loud, bratty, childish and annoying younger brother.

Realization shone in Zeus's baby blue eyes, "Oh, ah…uhm…well, I can explain…"

"Please do," he growled threateningly, a dangerous smirk on his face. The others shivered, remembering just why this god was feared though he was quite handsome and didn't seem all that physically intimidating. In fact, out of all the gods he seemed the most fragile. While the other male gods were tanned, golden-haired and quite muscular, Hades was deathly pale, with hair as black as coal and a lean structure, his muscles not as defined. On the other hand, he was taller than any of the other male gods.

"Well, you see, I think Poseidon would do a much better job of explaining since it's his fault," Zeus managed to stammer out under the dark god's intense gaze.

Hades turned his gaze to his other younger brother, who squeaked in surprise and fright.

"I'm waiting," his dark midnight-blue eyes, so different from both of his brother's baby blue and light ocean blue, bore into Poseidon with anger and impatience.

"Right, well…see, I uh…well, I guess I should have thought twice before doing…that," Poseidon was at a loss for words, extremely flustered with the lord of the underworld glaring at him coldly.

Normally, the dark god was rather indifferent and not too hard to handle, as long as you left him be. Poseidon had a fairly good relationship with Hades since his own water world was close to the underworld.

But even though Zeus was the leader of the gods and lord of the skies and Poseidon lord of the seas, both still found their older and frailer looking brother terrifying. That was because Hades was unlike any of the other gods around them. The other gods were easy to figure out. For example, Ares was always angry, though he was somewhat of a coward and they knew to let him rant when he started on one of his rages. Athena usually tried fixing the problem calmly. Aphrodite whined until your ears bled, while Hephaestus would feverishly work in his workshop. Zeus would make the sky light up in lightning while Poseidon created tsunamis. Hades, on the other hand, surrounded himself in a very frightening aura that made the bravest of men want to bury themselves in their mother's arms while still managing to keep his aloof persona.

It took a lot to get Hades riled up, unlike the others. But when he did, an aura of murderous anger seemed to surround him. And while he had never raised a hand in anger to any of the other gods, the glare that he would send their way would have them peeing their pants, or togas. Quite literally in fact. When the other gods were angry with one another, they would usually fight it out. After a few broken arms and legs, they would have spent all their anger and made peace once again.

That didn't work with Hades. They would usually have to explain to the furious god what had happened and then try to make amends. The most disconcerting part of it all was that not once did Hades ever raise his voice. He would always speak in a low, soft tone of voice that scared the others more than if he had shouted.

"It seems that I'll have to explain," Athena stood, calmly regarding her darker brother. She seemed to be the least affected by Hades, though she eyed him warily and goosebumps had risen up on her arms. Hades said nothing, but nodded for her to go ahead.

"That waterlogged fishhead decided that he would court one of the maidens at my temple. I warned Medusa to stay away from him and offered a similar warning to Poseidon. He had the audacity to come to my temple and take her right on my temple's floor. Naturally, I had to punish her. So I made it that no man would ever look on her again. Whoever does will find themselves turned to stone," Athena was glaring at Poseidon, still angry at what he had done. Poseidon looked guilty, shifting from one foot to the other.

"That still doesn't explain why she is in my kingdom," Hades commented stonily, also turning to glare fully at Poseidon.

"Well, we couldn't think of any other place to put her," Zeus complained, fingering the medallion he wore around his neck.

"I want her out by tomorrow," Hades' voice was emotionless, though his eyes communicate the silent 'or else' threat.

"Eeep! Uh, yeah," Zeus coughed, trying to cover up the fact that he had squeaked, "We'll get right on it."

The aura around Hades seemed to disappear and everyone visibly relaxed. Hades reverted back to his indifferent façade, tilting his head as a sign of farewell.

He turned around…and froze where he stood. Standing by the doorway with her mother, was Persephone.

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I so swear by the river Styx that I will try my absolute best to update this story every friday. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

Persephone had been talking happily with Athena, glad for a chance to be with the other gods, when she felt the ominous presence. Every god in the throne room seemed to feel it as well, pausing what they were doing to turn their attention to the dark shadow that stood at the door. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she recognized the towering figure.

Hades silently stalked in, his dark blue eyes blazing.

Persephone thought for sure that she would faint.

She watched him as he gracefully stepped up to her father, whispering out Zeus' name in a low, even voice, that seemed to echo all across the room. She started as she recognized the voice that had whispered to her last night and most likely put her to bed.

She flushed a bright crimson as she realized it had been the god of the Underworld. Aphrodite noticed her flushed face and smirked evilly. Persephone didn't seem to notice, all her focus was centered on the tall, dark figure conversing silently with Zeus about a demon woman that was disposed of in his underworld.

She had heard of Medusa's punishment from her mother and thought it unfair. It had not been Medusa's fault. But she knew that Athena did not have the power to actually punish Poseidon. Still, she felt it was highly unfair of her cousin to curse the poor girl for something she had no control over. She also thought it was rather rude that they would just dump her in the underworld. Even if Medusa was now a monster, she also knew that the Underworld had some frightening things…things that would scare a young woman. And it was not fair to Hades that they just placed her there without his permission.

She brought her attention back to the present, once again focusing on the two gods speaking. She realized that what Hades lacked in muscle, he made up for it in presence and intimidation.

Persephone had never seen her father so nervous before. He actually looked frightened. She let her gaze return to Hades, her blush deepening. His eyes were sparkling with uncontrollable fury though his pale face was apathetic. His dark hair framed his handsome face, still looking as messy and silky as last time. She noticed that he wore no cloak today. Instead, he wore a black silk shirt open at the top, showing a bit of his pale chiseled chest.

She tore her eyes away, feeling like her face was on fire. A strange squeak had her raising her head again and she watched as Poseidon also tried to explain about the unfortunate monster that they had put in his kingdom.

A quiet sigh escaped from Athena, who stood beside her, "Really, when Hades is like this, everyone turns into a pile of whimpering fools."

Persephone glanced at Athena, confused, "Like what, Athena?"

The goddess looked at her strangely, "Can't you feel the anger that's radiating from him? He's never hit any of us but one glare of his is enough to have your father and Poseidon begging for forgiveness."

Of course Persephone could feel the dark aura radiating from the Lord of the Underworld. It was oppressing, almost suffocating. But it was also…darkly attractive and mysterious. It made her want to walk up to him and smooth away the furrow on his brow. She wondered if his skin was as warm as the other gods. And if he would ever let her touch him. Her cheeks lit up again and she turned her head slightly to hide the pink tint from her mother.

Athena turned away from her, speaking out to the angry god and getting his attention. He didn't seem to notice Persephone as Athena explained the situation to him. His eyes were narrowed, his eyebrows furrowed. Persephone felt every muscle in her body tense under his probing gaze, her body instantly flaring up with heat.

Persephone breathed a sigh of relief when he turned away from them and fixed Poseidon with a hard glare and a question as to why they felt the need to put Medusa there. She could hear her father's whiny response though it was quickly silenced by a curt order to get her out by Hades. Persephone felt a stab of sympathy for the woman, hoping her father would find a pleasant place to put Medusa.

Persephone then felt her heart stop for a minute as Hades turned around and their eyes met. He looked startled, standing frozen in the middle of the room.

"Hades, why don't you stay for a while? You're always in that Underworld of yours. No wonder you're so moody," Aphrodite smirked evilly, coming to stand beside Persephone.

Hades blinked slowly, "…No."

"S-S-So blunt," Aphrodite turned away, shivering with fear at the cold voice he had used to answer her. Fake tears gathered in her eyes. Hephaestus moved over to stand beside the love goddess, glaring at Hades, being the only god that actually showed some backbone when it came to an angry Hades. Hades glared right back, his gaze piercing until Hephaestus looked away, grumbling angrily. Even he was no match for the Lord of the Underworld's glare.

"Come now, brother, Aphrodite's right! I'm sure you can spare some time to stay for a bit," Zeus put an arm around Hades shoulders, grinning widely.

"If it is your wish to lose that arm, by all means please continue to keep it around my shoulders," Hades' eyes flashed dangerously, looking down at the shorter god menacingly.

Zeus squeaked and removed his arm quickly, pouting, "You're so mean, brother."

"You're finally catching on," Hades smirked, flicking a strand of ebony hair out of his eyes.

Persephone was trying to control her breathing, making sure her mother wouldn't notice her flustered state. Her mother had always been overprotective and if her mother found out how Hades affected her then she was sure that Demeter would go out of her way to never let her see him again.

"How cruel! At least let me introduce my daughter!"

"Which one? You have thousands…"

"You wound me brother! Your harsh words have cut me deeply," Zeus had fake tears coming out of his baby blue eyes.

"I'm sure you'll recover," Hades answered bluntly, already used to the overdramatic way Zeus had of expressing himself.

"Please just let him finish, Hades, he'll never give it a rest until you do," Hera spoke up from where she stood close to Apollo. Hades pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing exasperatedly. He looked at Zeus with a 'get-on-with-it' expression in his dark blue orbs. Zeus' answering smile was bright with triumph.

Persephone fidgeted knowing that her father had probably been referring to her. Demeter also looked slightly uncomfortable.

"Hades, this is my daughter, Persephone!"

Zeus made his way over to Persephone and gently pushed her closer to the taller god, smirking knowingly. He kept a firm hand on Demeter's shoulder, who looked as if she was about ready to drag Persephone back to her.

Persephone hadn't expected the gentle push and she stumbled forward. She braced herself, expecting to meet the hard ground but it never came. Instead, gentle hands grasped her shoulders and she found her face pressed against a warm chest. 'So, he is warm,' she thought absent-mindedly.

"Are you all right, Lady Persephone?"

She looked up, her eyes locking onto Hades' dark blue ones. She felt her face flame up. Though his face was still schooled into a mask of indifference, his midnight blue eyes shone with concern. His eyes flicked up to give Zeus an irritated glare before shifting back to her.

"A-ah! Y-yes, I'm s-sorry!"

His lips twitched up into a smile that made Persephone's knees turn weak. Thankfully, his hands were still on her upper arms, helping her stay upright. She could hear her mother's concerned voice behind her though the pounding of her heart in her ears was too loud to know what her mother had said.

"Are you sure? Your face is red…Maybe you have a fever…"

He had cocked his head to the side, a small frown marring his handsome features.

"N-No, Y-you needn't worry, Lord H-Hades! I'm fine!"

"If you're sure, Lady Persephone…"

She nodded, her cheeks still flushed pink. Much to her disappointment, he dropped his hands, taking a step back. She started as she realized that everyone was staring at them. She had forgotten where they were for a minute, lost in the deep depths of his expressive eyes.

"It's an honor, Lady Persephone. I must apologize for not introducing myself properly when we met last week," he spoke softly, bowing his head slightly.

"It's a-alright. Please don't c-concern yourself, Lord Hades," she cursed herself for stuttering.

'He must think I'm an air-headed mommy's girl,' she thought, angry at herself. She had never had trouble talking to others, 'So why is it so hard to talk to him?'

His lips had once again quirked up into a small smile, making her cheeks burn with a new intensity. A hand was suddenly clapped on his shoulder.

"Isn't she adorable?"

"Let…go…"

Zeus squeaked again, retracting his hand.

"I'm sorry to be so rude but I must be going," he had turned toward her again, his eyes softening, an intense emotion glinting in their dark depths that she couldn't quite understand though she felt oddly pleased to see it there.

"It was nice to see you again, Lord Hades," she congratulated herself on not stuttering.

"Likewise," he took one of her small hands, placing a delicate kiss on it, "Until next time."

With a final heated glance in her direction, he stalked out of the room, leaving behind a crowd full of half confused and half knowing gods and a very flushed Persephone.

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I always felt kinda bad for Medusa. She didn't do anything wrong...It was Poseidon's fault. But she couldn't very well stay in the underworld. Just not the place for her. Even if she is ugly now...she's still a girl. And the Underworld can be a scary place. Happy reading.


	5. Chapter 5

Eros paced the room restlessly, biting his lip in worry. He was to meet Hades in a little while and he was sure the god would be in a sour mood. It had taken much pleading, begging and wheedling to get the god to agree to the peaceful meeting in the first place. Hades had almost fed the servant he had sent to that monstrous dog of his. It seemed that the dark god wanted nothing more than to rip out his entrails and throw him into Tartarus. But Eros had managed to convince the God of the Underworld to a _**SHORT**_ talk. A short **PEACEFUL **talk.

Eros had had to emphasize that point many times over...He suspected the dark god had only agreed so that he would stop sending his servants down...Hades had always detested nymphs. And most of Eros' servants were nymphs.

Eros went over the conversation that he and his mother had just days before. In fact, the whole meeting was her idea. He had no clue as to what was going on but it seemed like he had to pretend he did. He just hoped everything went well. Hades was not a god you wanted angry at you. And he and his mother were already on the Lord of the Underworld's black list.

"Milord, Lord Hades has arrived," one of his subjects came forward, bowing slightly. He couldn't help but note that the servant looked horrified and was shaking uncontrollably.

"Right…Erm, send him in," Eros made his way to the plush couch in the corner, tensely sitting down. He wasn't fond of dealing with the dark god. Hades was much too…emotionless. It scared him immensely to have to deal with someone who barely expressed emotions when he was the god of emotions himself. And extremely erotic emotions at that.

The door opened to reveal Hades, wearing his usual dark cloak and blank look. Eros wondered sometimes if Hades ever got hot always wearing such a heavy cloak. Hades gracefully sank into the couch where Eros sat, his dark blue eyes focused on the blonde before him.

"Lord Hades…I'm glad you could make it," Eros fidgeted, feeling nervous under Hades' intense gaze. He brushed away a few golden strands that had escaped from the ponytail he had tied his shoulder-length hair into, not quite able to make himself look into Hades' eyes.

"Yes…what is it you wanted to discuss with me?"

Eros was surprised to feel a rather angry aura surrounding the other god and he relaxed slightly. Any emotion from Hades, even anger, was good and helped calm him down, reminding him that Hades was like all the other gods.

'Well, not exactly 'like' all the other gods…but he does still have emotions…'

"I know you're angry with me about the incident regarding Persephone…but if you could just hear me out, I would appreciate it," Eros had no idea what the incident with Persephone was but he trusted his mother's judgment.

The aura around Hades grew more oppressive and he nodded tersely, motioning for the love god to go on. Eros couldn't help but notice Hades' hand twitch, as if the god was trying his hardest not to strangle him. He gulped, saying an extra prayer under his breath for his safety.

"Well, uhm, it seems that Ares is planning to kidnap Persephone and force her into becoming his bride," Eros hoped that Hades wouldn't be able to detect the lie in his voice. He really didn't know what was going on between Persephone and Hades and he wasn't sure he wanted to. The God of the Underworld had always been very strict about people nosing around in his business.

Eros was definitely unprepared for Hades' reaction.

If he had thought Hades was angry before, it was nothing compared to this. The air around them grew cold and the murderous intent was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Eros whimpered, hunkering down amidst the cushions of the coach, trying to make himself invisible to the clearly enraged god.

He definitely took it back. No emotion from Hades was a good thing.

"Thank you, Eros. I'm afraid I'll have to be going now…But in light of what you have told me, I forgive you for your earlier trespasses," Hades voice was even and soft as ever, but Eros could see the blazing fury raging in Hades' dark blue eyes, "Though, I'm still a firm believer that you shouldn't nose around in the business of others."

With that, Hades disappeared into the shadows. Eros released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding, his entire body shaking. His servants made their way up to him, looking as frightened as he felt. He had no idea what his 'earlier trespasses' were but he was immensely relieved that Hades didn't hold whatever it was against him anymore.

Though he couldn't help the stab of guilt as he thought about what Hades would do when he caught up to Ares.

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"Zeus, could I talk to you?"

Zeus looked up to find Hades standing in the doorway of the throne room, his jaw clenched tight and a furious look in his eyes.

"Yes, yes, of course!"

Zeus quickly ushered everyone out of the room before any casualties occurred. Zeus had never seen Hades so furious before.

Once the room was cleared, the head god turned towards Hades, his baby-blue eyes curious and a little relieved at finding out his brother was slightly calmer.

"What can I help you with, brother?"

"…I want to ask your permission to marry Persephone," Hades soft voice was a bit hesitant, as if uncertain of what the outcome would be.

Zeus blinked slowly, trying to process the information. Hades had turned his head away, the tiniest hint of a blush making its way onto his pale cheeks.

A huge smile suddenly emerged on Zeus's face, "You have my blessing! I heartily agree to this union! I'm so happy for you, brother! I noticed right away the last time you were here that there was something between you and my daughter!"

"Could I please request that you keep it a secret? Demeter wouldn't approve," Hades looked down at his younger brother, his eyes anxious.

"Of course! I always told Demeter she was too overprotective," Zeus clapped his brother on the back, smiling widely when Hades cheeks became the lightest pink once again.

Zeus watched his older brother stalk out of the throne room, feeling a sense of happiness overwhelm him. Despite Hades being aloof and somewhat distant, Zeus knew that he was also gentle and secretly caring. Though he was very hard-headed and at times unyielding, Zeus knew his brother was also fair and just. He nodded to himself, thinking that he couldn't have found a better partner for his precious Persephone. And one with such status.

His happiness and peace didn't last long.

A blood-curling scream came from outside and Zeus dashed to the large doors, making his way to the front of the crowd that had gathered. Zeus' jaw dropped at the sight that greeted him.

Ares had curled up into a ball, tears streaming down his cheeks. He was babbling nonsense, rocking himself back and forth, his light blue eyes dull and unfocused. Zeus sighed, moving over to stand beside the war god. When he set a hand on Ares, the god shrieked as if he had been stabbed and began screaming.

"PLEASE, DON'T HURT ME! MY MOMMY! I WANT MY MOMMY! PLEASE DON'T LET HIM TAKE ME! I'LL DO ANYTHING!"

Zeus sighed again, calling Athena to help him with her brother. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Hades stalk silently out of Olympus.

No, Hades had never raised a hand in anger to any of them.

But the mental pain he could inflict was a much worse alternative.

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Mental scarring is much worse than physical pain in my opinion. This idea formed when I was reading Silence of the Lambs. Hannibal Lecter makes one of the inmates commit suicide by swallowing his own tongue after the inmate made some suggestive remarks to Clarice Starling. Dr. Lecter did nothing but speak to the man. The character of Hannibal Lecter fascinates me...I have never liked a villian but I found myself liking Dr. Lecter. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews are appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

Persephone breathed in deeply, turning her face up towards the sun and twirling around in a circle before letting herself fall onto the soft, springy grass. She let out a content sigh, watching the fluffy white clouds drift by lazily.

She turned to watch the nymphs braiding each others hair after becoming bored with watching clouds, gently refusing their offer to braid her own hair. She was glad to be away from her mother's watchful eyes.

It seemed that she hadn't been as good at hiding her emotions as she thought. Demeter had noticed her flushed face after Hades had left and thought her daughter had contracted a fever. Not wanting to give away the real reason, though even she wasn't sure what the real reason was, she had gone along with the story. It was very rare for a god to catch an illness and her mother had gone into overdrive. She had been kept under her mother's watchful eye for nearly a week. She breathed in the fresh air, thankful for the chance to be outside.

As her eyes swept over the vast field of daisies, something caught her eye.

Growing amidst all the white daisies was a narcissus.

It was a deep scarlet and stood in stark contrast against the white of the daisies. The blood red color stood out forlornly in the midst of such whiteness and gave her the feeling of loneliness. She stood and made her way over to the beautiful flower, bending down beside it. She ran her fingertips over the petals, relishing in the softness of it.

Strangely, it reminded her of Hades.

The narcissus was a flower, just like all the daisies that surrounded her. And yet, it was alone where it stood. It had everything the daisies had: petals, leaves, a stem…but it would never belong in this field. Likewise, Hades was a god, like all her uncles, aunts and cousins. But he was also very different. His physical appearance was unique to only him and his personality was considered queer for a god. He didn't attend any parties, he didn't have any affairs with human women, and he didn't drink any of the delicious wine that Dionysus grew. Persephone could see that while the other gods acknowledged him, they never really accepted him as one of them. With careful fingers, she picked the flower, cradling it near her chest.

The next few moments passed by rather quickly for Persephone.

The first thing she noticed was the ground trembling. It shook beneath her feet and she watched in shock as a huge hole opened up in the ground. She distinctly heard the nymphs screaming as they ran off but she didn't tear her eyes away from the hole.

Four horses emerged from within the dark abyss, their black pelts glowing in the sunlight. All four were pulling a silver carriage adorned with various jewels. She didn't even get to glance at the driver before he pulled her in, strong arms wrapping around her.

The man's scent was the first thing she took note of. There was no mistaking he was a man, with Persephone pressed against him so closely. He smelled of damp earth, rain, and pine. A decidedly masculine scent that felt eerily familiar.

Strands of dark hair tickled her face as the man bent down, his breath hot on her ear.

"Forgive me…"

Persephone shuddered, an unknown emotion swelling within her as she recognized the voice of Hades. She found that she was having trouble keeping her eyes open and her brain was working sluggishly. The final clear thought she had was that Hades was very comfortable and that being in his arms felt _right_ before she slipped into unconsciousness, surrendering herself to the darkness.

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Persephone slowly blinked her eyes open. She sat up, looking around in confusion. She was sitting on a large bed, the sheets a deep maroon and gold. She slipped out of the bed, gently setting her feet on the warm floor. She glanced around the large room, taking in her surroundings.

The room had a black marble floor with the walls being a deep red. An oak chest sat at the foot of the bed. There was a cream couch in one corner of the room next to a cherry wood table. She could see an open door leading to a washroom and a door she was sure lead to the hallway.

She tried to recall what exactly had happened.

"I was picking flowers with the nymphs…there was a narcissus. The ground opened up and I think there were horses…Oh!"

Her memories clicked into place as she remembered the warmth of being in Hades' arms.

"Hades…he kidnapped me…"

She expected to feel frightened but she only felt a slight nervousness. And the reason was something she did not expect.

She felt nervous that she wouldn't be able to talk properly with him like last time.

She was surprised that she did not feel angry at him for kidnapping her. She did feel a bit upset at the thought that her mother would probably freak out but she had a feeling that nothing bad would happen to her.

A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts.

"Umm…come in?"

"Hello, Lady," a small green creature scampered in, its bulging purple eyes looking up warmly at the goddess. It stood on its two legs, barely coming up to Persephone's knees. Its ears were ridiculously huge and its skin looked leathery.

"Oh…uhm, hello. Who are you?"

"I'm Ri! Milord has asked that when the Lady wakes up, Ri should take Lady to his Lordness!"

"I see," Persephone could feel her cheeks heat up. She felt anxious to see Hades. She needed to get answers from him. She needed to know why he had kidnapped her.

"Well, lead the way," she smiled down at the tiny creature as it saluted to her and motioned her to follow it. She couldn't help but think it was quite adorable in its own strange way.

She made sure to keep close to the tiny creature, not wanting to take the risk of getting lost. There were many corridors and Persephone had heard of stories where many of the visiting gods had gotten lost in Hades' palace. The pair soon came to two large mahogany doors.

Ri knocked on the large doors, offering Persephone a toothy smile. The doors automatically opened inwards and Ri gently pushed at Persephone's legs. She obliged with the tiny creature and stepped inside. The first thing that attracted her eyes was the large throne on the raised platform. Contrary to what the nymphs had told her, it was not made of human bones. Rather, it was made of onyx stone with a few rubies decorating it. She thought it was very beautiful.

"Looky, looky, Su! Ri brought the pretty lady!"

Another tiny creature, this one with blue skin and a head full of bright orange hair, looked up at her, its amber eyes shining happily as it ran towards them. It clapped its clawed hands, obviously pleased. Its ears were smaller than Ri's but still abnormally large.

"Lord Hades will be happy-happy!"

The two linked arms and began chanting a little ditty about Lord Hades being happy. Persephone couldn't help but giggle at how silly the two looked.

"Su, Ri…May I ask what you are doing?"

"Master!"

Persephone jumped, startled at hearing the sound of Hades soft voice. She hadn't heard him come in. She blushed as their eyes met. The two creatures ran toward the tall god, scampering around his feet excitedly.

"We was dancing a happy dance for master!"

"I see…"

Even as he answered his two subjects, he kept his gaze locked on hers. His expressive eyes looked torn and pained though his handsome face was still schooled into a mask of indifference.

"Persephone, I must first ask for your forgiveness. I apologize for taking you so suddenly," his voice reflected the guilt she could see swirling around in his deep blue eyes.

"It's a-a-alright…though…I'm afraid I'm a bit confused, Lord Hades. Why did you kidnap me?"

He flashed a brief mischievous smile, "You seem to be taking it rather well for someone who has been kidnapped."

"W-well, I k-know you won't h-hurt me," Persephone couldn't help the stutter that came out, especially when he smiled like that.

He looked pleased at her answer, his dark blue eyes warm. She flushed, averting her eyes to look at her bare feet.

"Someone was going to take you…someone who doesn't necessarily know how to think and could bring you harm. I feared for your safety, so I decided to thwart his plan by taking you first to a place where he couldn't follow," the guilty look had come back into his eyes.

"I-I see," Persephone couldn't think of what else to say. He had kidnapped her to keep her safe. She felt warm at the thought that he found her important enough to be worried about her well-being.

Yet another part of her, a tiny part in her heart was disappointed. That part of her heart had wished that he had kidnapped her because he wanted her, maybe even because he felt something for her.

She flushed, berating herself for thinking such thoughts. Hades was a powerful god, one of the three. Why would he want anything with her, one of the most minor gods?

"I really am sorry, Lady Persephone…I was reckless, I didn't think things through," he shifted, looking down at the floor in shame, guilt written in his eyes, "I will take you back as soon as possible."

Persephone felt a strange tightening in her stomach at the thought. Strangely enough, she didn't want to go back. She wanted to stay, if for just a little while longer.

"Please, Lord Hades, if it's n-not too much t-to ask…I would v-very much like to s-stay here for n-now," she glanced up at him shyly, her green eyes pleading. He looked shocked, his eyes wide.

"You want to stay?"

She nodded, "Please."

He was silent for a few minutes, as if he was gauging her sincerity. She met his gaze squarely, though she could feel her face flushing with embarrassment.

"If that's the case, then…well, uhm, this is…unexpected," he coughed lightly, "If that is your wish, then I would be honored to have you in my kingdom."

Persephone smiled widely and before she could completely think things through, threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. He tensed, surprise etched onto his usually apathetic features. Realizing what she had done, she quickly moved away, blushing furiously.

"Oh…um, t-thank you," she said softly.

"Ah, yes…um, you're welcome," a small tint of pink had entered his cheeks, "I must finish the last judgment…Would…Would you like to stay and watch?"

Persephone nodded shyly, secretly excited to see what he did everyday "Yes, please!"

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Last night, I finally got around to watching Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I was very disappointed with the movie though I enjoyed the book. Firstly, Percy looks too old. Second, Grover didn't look like that in the book and neither did Annabeth. Thirdly, they portrayed Persephone as a freaking slut who wanted to sleep with everyone...really...that ticked me off. And lastly, they portrayed Hades as they always do in Hollywood...a power-hungry psycho. Just like in Clash of the Titans...It never said in Mythology that Hades was ugly or that he was evil. It irritated me to no end. Hades is one of my favorite gods. Okay, I'm finished ranting now. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	7. Chapter 7

"You may let the next one in," Hades nodded to Su, who happily obliged. It scurried out the doors, eager to please its master. Hades glanced at Persephone before looking around.

"Ri, get a chair for Lady Persephone," the other goblin-like creauture nodded, flashing the goddess a toothy smile. A tug on his robes directed his attention back to Persephone. She looked up at him with her wide green eyes, biting her lip nervously.

"Is something the matter?"

"It's fine, I don't really need a chair, I'd prefer to sit on the floor, if that's all right," she said softly, her eyes darting to the floor, "And please, just Persephone is fine."

"If that is your wish…Ri, you can come back," he called to the retreating goblin, his soft voice echoing in the large room. Ri looked back at him, a torn and pleading expression on its face. He gave Ri a hard look that sent the creature running back to him. Persephone giggled from beside him, unconsciously drawing his attention once again.

Their eyes met and Hades felt an odd warmth rush through him. Neither of them moved, both rooted to the spot. Hades found himself getting lost in her innocent green gaze, his face moving closer to hers.

The moment was broken by Su, who rushed in followed by a ghostly image.

The god of the Underworld ripped his gaze away from the goddess, glaring at the newcomers for interrupting. What they had interrupted, he wasn't exactly sure but he knew that he wanted to find out. Su gave out a squeak, running to hide behind Ri. The ghostly person cowered down, drawing himself into a transparent floating ball.

Hades sighed, running a hand through his thick black hair before taking a seat on his throne. To his surprise, Persephone followed him, sitting down near his legs at the foot of his throne. He sent her a puzzled look, cocking his head to the side. She blushed but gave him a shy smile. He returned the smile with a small one of his own before turning his attention to the cowering apparition in front of him.

"Ri, the orb," the sulking creature, who was still upset about being prohibited to get a chair, perked up. It gave Su a smug look before seemingly skipping to the transparent man and plucking a round, glowing orb from the man's hands. The man squeaked, once again drawing himself up into a floating ball.

"This is my favorite part," Su looked up at Persephone with eerily glowing amber eyes. Ri gently put the round orb in Hades' hands, retreating to stand beside Su and Persephone. All three of them turned to watch the dark god rolling the glowing orb in his pale hands. Even the ghost man had uncurled from his position to watch him. Hades breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. He let his consciousness slip away from him until images began flashing in front of his closed eyelids. The images all showed events from the man's life, spanning from his birth all the way down to his death. Thoughts and words were uttered, each fast but Hades understood it all. He had been doing it since the beginning of mankind. The process overall took about 15 seconds. Even though he had been doing it for a long time, it still tired him if he did it without pausing for a break.

Hades slowly blinked open his eyes, letting his gaze fall on Persephone for a minute before moving onto the man in question. The orb had vanished, the only trace of it a trail of white swirling smoke.

"Ri, Su, take him to the fields. He's lived his life honestly aside from a few incidents," he nodded to the two, who eagerly took the man's hands in their clawed ones, dragging him out. The man looked to be on the verge of tears, a relieved smile on his face. Hades sighed deeply, shifting to look over at Persephone. She was looking up at him, worry clouding her normally bright green eyes.

"What is it?"

"Does it hurt? I mean, it looked really…strange. You just…slumped. Like you were unconscious," she hesitated a minute before reaching out and putting a hand on his arm.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, "No, it doesn't hurt. I'm sorry, I should have warned you."

"What was that crystal thing?"

"It's a retelling of their lives. All the events, thoughts, words, and deeds from birth to death," a faint smile tugged at his lips, "By accessing the orb, I can see their whole life and judge whether or not they deserve to go to the fields of Asphodel, Tartarus, or Elysium."

Persephone looked deep in thought before she nodded, "I think I get it."

"Here, I'll show you," he knew it was a hard concept to understand and it was easier to show it than to explain it. He shifted through some of his own memories before settling on one.

Concentrating on the air in front of him, he held his hand out. Thin, vine-like wisps of smoke began swirling around in the middle of his palm before materializing into a pale blue crystal orb. He relaxed, taking a minute to compose himself. It was slightly hard to materialize ones' memories and he didn't do it too often.

Persephone stared at the glowing sphere, mesmerized by it. He slowly reached out his other hand and grasped her tiny one, keeping his grip loose so she could pull away if she wanted to. She didn't pull away but shifted her gaze over to him, a pink dusting coming onto her slightly tanned cheeks. Her eyes flickered back to the orb, apprehension overcoming the awe in her tense stare.

"It…it won't hurt, will it?"

He shook his head, "It won't hurt, I promise."

Their eyes locked again, dark blue warring against emerald green.

"I believe you," she whispered softly. The warmth rushed through him once again and he felt a small smile twitching in the corners of his mouth. He nodded, gently transferring the crystal from his hand into hers.

"Grip it gently, that's it," he coaxed her, his voice soft, "Now, close your eyes and just let yourself slip until you start seeing images."

"How?"

"Your breathing is too fast," he murmured, "Slow it down. There you go. You're doing well, Persephone."

He let his eyes wander over her face, taking in her soft features. Her long eyelashes rested on her pink cheeks. Her eyebrows were furrowed in concentration, her lips slightly parted. She was still too tense.

"Relax," he slowed his own breathing down to match hers, his hand still engulfing hers. Soon, her breathing matched his, their joined breathing deep and even.

She suddenly let out a soft gasp, "I can see them, Lord Hades. I can see them."

**Author's note: This is a result of writing at 2 in the morning after watching the Labyrinth at least two times and filling my hunger with gummi worms, skittles, doughnuts and a delicious Brazilian soda called Guarana Antartica. (This is commonly known as WUIC, Writing Under the Influence of Candy). As I have previously stated in my other stories, I will not be uploading next Friday, due to a well-earned vacation from work. I will be MIA (Missing In Action) until the 27 of December. I wish you all a Merry Christmas. Thank you for all your wonderful reviews...There are the best presents I could get.


	8. Chapter 8

Persephone watched as the scene began to unfold before her, fascinated by the wonder of it all.

Hades stood there, his hair as messy as ever, his piercing blue eyes narrowed in suspicion. She could also see her father, nervously shifting and stroking his light golden beard in agitation. She felt herself being pulled in further, the colors and shapes sharpening. Her ears popped and she found she could hear what they were saying.

"What kind of present?"

"Well, you know…You're always alone down there and I figured you'd like some company…Is it your birthday by chance?"

"…No…Zeus, what are you up to?"

"Nothing, I swear!"

"You've never been a good liar," the passive god gave Zeus and intimidating stare and she saw her father cave, his powerful shoulders slumping in defeat. He began pacing in agitated circles, making Persephone dizzy.

"Okay, Okay! I was trying to make a Pegasus but somehow I must have done something wrong and now I have no idea what to do with it!"

"What is 'it'?"

Her father sighed, signaling Hades to follow him. The two men walked with long strides deeper into Olympus. Persephone trailed after them silently, floating lightly above the ground. Zeus opened the doors to what must have been his private chambers and made his way inside cautiously. Persephone stood next to Hades past self, closer than she would have dared to in real life.

"What is that?"

"I…don't really know," Zeus offered a sheepish grin. Persephone looked around Hades to see what had grabbed their attention.

On the floor, growling fearsomely was a small black puppy.

With three heads.

"We can't even get close…Hephaestus managed to put the collar on him but the thing almost bit his entire hand off," Zeus muttered, once again stroking his beard. Hades said nothing, looking at the strange doglike-thing with calculating dark-blue eyes. Persephone thought the dog was rather adorable herself.

Hades stepped forward, despite Zeus' warning yell. The dog's growls intensified and it looked up at Hades with distrustful eyes. Persephone felt bad for the puppy. He looked so frightened. She wondered exactly how Hepheastus had managed to clasp the leather collar around the base of its three heads. Hades kneeled down to the dog's level, locking eyes with the pup. When he had caught all three of the gazes, he began speaking.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," his voice was soft and calming, almost tender. Persephone kneeled down beside him, mesmerized by the smooth sound of his voice. One by one, the heads stopped growling, looking up at him with three sets of different colored eyes. He reached out his hand slowly, his palm facing up. The dog retreated a few steps, emitting a soft growl.

"I won't hurt you," his voice was a low rumble, making Persephone's cheeks turn a light pink. He had a strong effect on her, even if it wasn't the literal Lord of the Underworld. She didn't doubt that if he told her to jump into Tartarus with the same kind of tone he used on the dog, she would do it.

One of the puppy heads, this one with bright amber eyes, slowly reached its muzzle forward, sniffing at the extended hand. The blue-eyed head was next, followed by the last head which had shocking crimson eyes. Hesitantly, the golden-eyed head licked the pale hand, its tail wagging slightly. Soon, the other two heads joined the first, covering the dark god's hand with slobbery licks. Persephone felt herself smile as the pup wiggled closer to the apathetic god and she swore she could see the hint of a smile gracing Hades' lips.

"I don't believe it," Zeus muttered, amusement present in his rich voice. Hades looked up at him, holding the wriggling puppy in his arms. Zeus smiled widely, heaving a relieved sigh. Persephone snickered when her father muttered that now Hera couldn't make him sleep on the couch.

"What will you name him?"

"Who says I'm taking him?"

"It's obvious he's taken a liking to you," Zeus pointed out, giving Hades a kicked-puppy look that was so pathetic, it made Persephone giggle. That was a look that Zeus used often, especially when he was in trouble. The wriggling puppy in Hades' arms also turned around and fixed the god of the underworld with a pleading and desperate look in his three gazes.

Hades sighed in defeat, running a hand through his black locks making them even messier. He once again looked from Zeus to the puppy, his eyebrows furrowed.

"So…What will the name be?"

Hades fixed Zeus with a piercing stare, and then bent his head thoughtfully. Slowly, he lifted his head and Persephone swore he was looking straight at her. A tingle ran down her back, warmth spreading over her cheeks.

"Cerberus," he whispered softly, a smirk tugging at his lips. The puppy barked joyfully, its eyes shining and its tail wagging erratically. AT that moment, Persephone felt a strange tugging sensation right near her stomach that started out softly but soon grew in pressure. Slowly the picture began to fade until there was nothing but darkness.

Persephone blinked her eyes open and for a moment thought she was outside looking up at the starry sky. As her vision focused, she came to the conclusion that it couldn't be so. She was in the Underworld. There was no sky here. The fog was slowly clearing from her mind and she suddenly realized that what she was staring at wasn't a bit of sky at all…rather it was Hades' eyes. From this close, she could see tiny swirls of silver inlaid with the midnight blue, what she had mistaken as stars. His subtle scent washed over her as he shifted closer. She realized now that she was reclining in his strong arms, lightly pressed against his chest.

"Please forgive me, Lady Persephone. I meant to tell you to take a seat but it slipped my mind," an almost imperceptible sheepish grin emerged on his face, "I was forced to take action when you immersed yourself in the memories and your body went limp."

"There's n-nothing to forgive L-Lord Hades. Thank you for c-catching me," she whispered softly, drawn in by his hypnotizing eyes. His eyes darkened the tiniest bit with an emotion that Persephone wasn't familiar with.

With an agonizing slowness, the dark god leaned down. Persephone had seen this happen a number of times when she had been visiting the other gods, especially between Aphrodite and Ares.

Her eyes slowly slid shut as his warm breath caressed her face. The kiss was unlike anything she'd ever experienced or seen. It wasn't hard and angry like most of the ones her father and Hera shared, nor was it the smoldering and secretive kisses Aphrodite stole from Ares.

It was just the softest brush of his lips against hers, gentle and just a tad bit inexperienced. Persephone thought her heart would surely burst from her chest. Having never been kissed before, she had no idea what to do.

So, she allowed her instincts to take over. Her hands slowly traveled up until one was tangled in his soft dark hair and the other resting against his chest. She could feel the steady beat of his heart against her fingertips. She found herself tilting her head just a fraction of an inch, the kiss deepening with that small change.

Too soon, he pulled away, his eyes hooded though they burned with a new intensity. A newfound heat took over her body and she knew she was blushing. And although she felt deathly embarrassed…she couldn't help wanting to feel his soft lips on hers again.

"I apologize, Persephone," his husky voice interrupted her thoughts, "I…I don't know what came over me."

"No, please don't apologize Lord Hades…I…I l-l-liked it," she said so softly, Hades almost missed it, "Very m-m-much."

A small blush appeared as well on Hades' pale cheeks, "Oh…I'm…I'm glad."

"Would y-y-you…? No, n-n-never m-m-mind," Persephone was sure her face resembled a tomato. Silence settled in between the two, though it wasn't necessarily awkward. Persephone took this time to try to gather her thoughts, breathing in deeply. That turned out to be a mistake as the moment she took a breath, she could smell Hades' intoxicating scent.

"I'm afraid I've been a bad host," Hades broke the comfortable silence, "I have not shown you around my palace. Would you like a tour?"

Persephone nodded though she didn't want to get up from her spot just yet. She couldn't remember a time in her life where being close to someone ever felt so good. Hades small crooked smile only served to make Persephone wish that she could stay longer. Without warning, Hades stood, Persephone still cradled in his arms.

"We might be able to move faster if you stay in your current position," there was the hint of a mischievous smile on his lips, "Is that alright with you?"

Persephone blushed but nodded eagerly, her heart racing a mile a minute, "It's perfectly fine."

Hades eyes twinkled happily and with one last almost smile, they set off down the hall with Persephone praying that this would not turn out to be just some wonderful dream.

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I don't really know how Cerberus came into being, but I really like him, so I made it up. I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas. This is especially dedicated to my loyal reviewers and readers. I'm glad so many are enjoying it.


	9. Chapter 9

Hades walked slowly, careful not to jostle the petite goddess currently occupying his arms. About halfway through the tour, Persephone had fallen asleep. He didn't blame her. It was quite late and she had been through a lot today. Though he had to admit, she was taking everything extremely well.

She had been awestruck by the immense size of his castle. Though he would have preferred something a bit smaller, Zeus had insisted on building a grand structure for the dark god. As they had toured his castle, many of his servants scurried around, speaking in hurried tones as they rushed to complete their master's will.

As each one passed, she had questioned him as to their names and he had obligingly told her. Wi, Mo, Ki, Lu, Ba were but a few of the many that rushed past them. She had giggled as he'd recited the names of the flurried and colorful servants. Each one was different but all were brightly colored, ranging from a deep blue to a bright magenta. Zeus had given them to him, along with the castle, claiming that the dark lord needed some color in his life. This wasn't exactly how Hades had pictured it.

"They're all only two letters long," she'd explained when he turned his questioning gaze onto her. A pretty blush was still on her cheeks though she looked content to be in his arms.

"I'm afraid if it's any longer they forget their own names," he replied seriously, watching as her green eyes filled with amusement. She began giggling again and he could feel his lips twisting up into a smile. He couldn't remember a time when he had smiled so often. It was sometimes overbearing being among the dead and he hadn't had much to be happy about.

She had been fascinated by his vast library. She confessed that she loved to read though her mother always filtered what was read, as to protect her daughter's 'fragile mind'. He promised her that as long as she was in the Underworld, she could read to her heart's content.

He had also shown her how to get from her room to the throne room. He certainly didn't want her getting lost in the large castle. He also assured her that he would have one or two of his servants attending her at all times.

"Oh…Could I perhaps ask for it to be Su and Ri? I mean…if it's n-not too much trouble," she had blushed a bright red, ducking her face in embarrassment. He simply nodded, assuring her that it was fine.

By the time they had gotten to Cerberus' kennel, she had begun to yawn but as soon as she saw the gigantic dog, her exhaustion seemed to fade away. Cerberus was no longer the small puppy from the memories. He had grown to a ridiculously large size and it had been hard for Hades to find a room for him. In the end, he'd had to break down a few rooms to make space for the towering dog. He was oddly pleased when Cerberus took an immediate liking to the girl, as the large dog usually hated strangers. Persephone had been ecstatic about gaining the dog's acceptance, her green eyes shining with pleasure. He'd had to sharply call Cerberus' attention after a while, as all three heads wanted to be petted and they had started growling and snapping at one another. Sufficiently chastised, the three heads had each waited their turn.

He had gone only a few steps away from Cerberus' chamber when her head drooped onto his shoulder in sleep, her warm breath hitting his exposed neck.

He nearly dropped her.

He had not been expecting the bombard of emotions that came with a simple breath flowing across his skin. His heart pounded in his chest, as if trying to escape from its confines. Electric tingles rushed down his body and he struggled to remain in control of his errant thoughts. A few deep breaths later, he deemed himself calm enough to go on, though his heart was still beating heavily.

He breathed a sigh of disappointed relief as her door came into view. Calling the two nearest servants to him, Po and Zi, he motioned towards the door. The two goblin creatures looked at each other in puzzled confusion. Hades would have liked a wall to bash his head against.

"Open the door," he hissed down at the two, struggling to keep his face neutral. Understanding dawned on the two beings and they hurried to do their master's bidding. Zi clambered onto Po's shoulders in order to reach the doorknob, their faces splitting into sharp and goofy grins as they were able to successfully complete their master's order. With a thankful nod, he stepped into the room.

Hades gently set the goddess down on the mattress, pulling the blankets up to cover her. He hesitated only a moment before bending down and placing a soft kiss on her forehead. On silent footsteps, he made his way out of the room and closed the door. Already he missed her comforting warmth against him.

Running a hand through his disheveled black hair, he strode down the hall, telling Po to find Su and Ri and bring them to Cerberus' room. He cautiously opened the door and stepped through.

As soon as he stepped into the dog's line of vision he was attacked by three different tongues, slobber soon coating his hands. Each tongue was easily the size of a large, grown man.

"Cerberus, heel," he finally managed to say to the dog, "Good boy."

The dog could barely contain his excitement but was using every ounce of his control to sit like his master had told him. His bushy tail swept back and forth across the floor, making a slight wooshing sound. Hades allowed a fond smile to break through his façade. He motioned the dog to lie down, using Cerberus as a back rest as he sat down beside him.

"What did you think of her?"

Cerberus barked joyfully, his three sets of eyes gleaming, knowing that his master was talking about the golden goddess.

"I'm glad you approve," the dark god chuckled, petting the dog's lush, onyx pelt. Cerberus made a strange humming noise low in his throat. Hades fell silent, his hand absently running down Cerberus' fur. His thoughts swirled with all that had occurred that day. He still felt a bit of residual guilt for kidnapping the young goddess but hadn't thought of any other way that he could safely keep her out of Ares' grasp. But that guilt was intermingling with joy at Persephone's ready acceptance. On the forefront of his mind, however, was the kiss they had shared. He didn't know what had possessed him to lean in. But somehow, the glow in her eyes had encouraged him to do so. He had meant it to be the quickest brush of his lips against hers.

But then she had surprised him by responding to the soft touch, her own lips as inexperienced as his own. Even now, he wasn't sure if he could explain all the emotions that rushed through him at that particular moment. An overbearing heat had encompassed him, surging through his body. All he could sense was Persephone. The soft scent of her had wrapped around him, a delectable intoxicating smell that tore at his self-control. Her soft hair running through his fingers, her warm lips firmly pressed against his own, and her hands tangled in his hair the only things he could feel.

A loud whine broke him out of his thoughts and he could feel his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. Three questioning gazes looked down at him, never having seen their master so flustered before. He took a deep breath and was able to reduce the heat going to his cheeks, though he still felt abnormally warm, as if a fire had been ignited within him.

A knock brought his attention to the door, "Come in."

Su and Ri scampered in, their large ears twitching excitedly. They tripped and fell a few times in their hurry to make it to him but were finally able to stand in front of the Lord of the Underworld, their bulging eyes unnaturally bright with expectation.

"Lordy Lord called for Su and Ri! Su and Ri came!"

Cerberus rolled all six eyes as the two yelled in sync, saluting to their master. Hades sometimes wished that his servants had a higher IQ…but you couldn't expect too much from something that Zeus had created. The only exception to that was Cerberus.

"Yes, I can see that. Congratulations…Now, I need you to listen carefully," he twitched in annoyance as both started staring off into space, "Are you listening?"

His eyes narrowed as they continued to wear the same goofy expression on their faces. In a flash, Su's slimy pink tongue snapped out and retracted into her mouth just as quickly, a small bug that had been scurrying on the floor now in her mouth. Ri whined in protest, pouncing on the blue goblin and trying to pry the creature's mouth open.

"Enough," Hades hissed, causing both servants to freeze, "Pay attention."

His snapped command had both creatures tripping over each other to stand at attention. Hades closed his eyes, rubbing his temples. Cerberus offered a sympathetic whine, nudging the god with one of his large heads.

"We pay attention now, Lordy Lord…Su and Ri not eat no more bugs till Lordy Lord done talking," they said once again in sync, their eyes downcast. Hades decided to get right to the point. The less time he wasted, the less chance of them once again becoming distracted.

"Ah…I have a mission for the both of you. You will watch over Persephone and help her around the grounds during her stay here," he stared hard at one then the other, "Is that understood?"

"Understood, Lordy Lord! Clear as mud!"

Hades groaned, running a hand down his face in exasperation. He'd have to make sure that the next servants Zeus sent down passed an IQ test.

"Wrong, Su! Not CLEAR AS MUD! It clear as…uh…as…hmmm…oh!...clear as ghosts!"

"Ghosts?"

Ri nodded, "Ghosts clear…see through them all the time. Right, Lordy Lord?"

Hades wisely decided not to answer. Standing up, he petted each of Cerberus' heads, making sure not to pay attention to one head for too long. He wasn't in the mood to break up a dogfight between the three. Ri and Su happily declared that they were going off to watch the 'pretty lady' and soon vanished down the hallway.

Although weariness clawed at his limbs, he felt no desire to go to his chambers. Instead, he slipped into his library. Collapsing onto one of the plush seats, he closed his eyes and just let his mind wander.

Not surprising, his thoughts all centered on Persephone, whirling in dizzying circles. Almost imperceptibly, sleep began to overtake him, slowly overcoming his conscious mind. His eyes fluttered for a few seconds before closing and he surrendered himself to dreams of golden-haired goddesses and three-headed dogs.

*Author's note: Okay, if you want a mental pic of Cerberus just think of a sort of Rottweiler-mutt type mix. That's how I imagine him. Enjoy your read and please review.


	10. Chapter 10

"WHERE IS MY BABY?"

The nymphs cowered down as the ground shook violently, their eyes wide with fear. The large woman in front of them screamed angrily, a high-pitched sound that rattled the windows. They had never seen Demeter this angry.

Or this depressed.

Large tears rolled down her portly face. She wailed loudly, collapsing back into her seat. The nymphs hesitantly moved forward, patting her arms with sympathetic hands.

"I want my Kore back!"

"We're sorry, Demeter…We were just so scared. We thought Persephone was right behind us," one nymph spoke up from the large group, her voice timid. Demeter nodded, still sobbing uncontrollably.

"It's okay…We'll find her," another nymph piped up. Demeter finally seemed to get a hold of herself, dabbing at her tear-stained face with a small handkerchief. A determined and crazed light entered her dark green eyes and she stood.

"We'll find my sweet Kore, all right," she thundered, "And until she is found, nothing will bloom!"

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Persephone awoke, feeling refreshed and just a tiny bit scared. The fear passed as soon as she looked around and found herself still in the Underworld.

"It wasn't a dream," she sighed happily, falling back on the bed again. She thought back on the eventful day she'd had. When she had woken up yesterday morning, she'd had no idea she'd be kidnapped, taken to the Underworld, given a tour while reclining in the Lord of the Underworld's arms, and…that she'd be kissed.

That kiss had woken up something deep within her, a sort of appetite that no amount of food could get rid of. Not that she'd had any food since coming here. Hades had warned her not to consume anything or else she wouldn't be able to return to the Aboveworld.

But, regardless, she could tell the needs were different. She wondered if the kiss meant as much to him as it did to her. Her hand traveled up to her lips and she lightly touched them, her thoughts revolving in dizzying circles around Hades. She wondered if she would be too forward in asking him to kiss her again.

"Of course it would," she flushed a dark red, the feeling of his lips touching hers replaying again and again in her mind.

"Pretty Lady!"

Persephone jumped a few feet in the air, squeaking in surprise as Su and Ri materialized out of nowhere. They smiled goofily up at her, hopping up and down in excitement. Persephone rested a hand on her chest in an effort to calm her racing heart, slowly climbing out of the bed.

"Ri, Su, Good morning," she replied a little breathless, "Great Zeus, you startled me."

"We sorry-sorry, Pretty Lady…Not mean to scary-scary," both looked down in shame, their ears drooping. Persephone laughed, petting their fuzzy heads fondly.

"It's all right," she reassured them, smiling when their ears popped back up in excitement. Persephone wondered if she should ask the two to take her to Lord Hades or if it was still too early for that. That is, she was wondering about that before she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes widened in horror. Her dress was filthy, dirt smudged all over it. Her hair looked like a bird's nest and her face was likewise smudged with dirt.

"I think I need a bath before I go to meet Lord Hades…Is that okay?"

"Course, Pretty Lady! Master still sleepy-sleepy. Still have time," they cheered, clapping their hands and skipping around the room. Persephone laughed, a nervous fluttering emerging in her stomach at the mere mention of Hades. She slowly discarded her clothes, shivering as the cold air hit her exposed skin. Stepping into the warm bath, she sighed in contentment, letting the water wash over her. After a few minutes of just relaxing, she washed first her hair then worked on her body. Finishing, she stepped out, thanking Ri when the small goblin handed her a towel. After she was sufficiently dry, she reached for her clothes, only to find them gone.

"Where are my clothes?"

"Pretty Lady no stay every day in dirty clothes…Lordy Lord got new clothes for Pretty Lady," Su gestured toward a large wardrobe that sat in the corner of the room. Persephone slowly opened the doors to the wardrobe and gasped at the sight that greeted her. Various dresses hung, each different colors and each more beautiful than the last. It took a few minutes for her to finally choose one but in the end she picked a beautiful deep maroon with a decent neckline, long sleeves and a flowing skirt.

Ri and Su offered to brush her hair and they were surprisingly gentle while doing it. Once her hair was soft and glowing, they made their way out of the room in search of the God of the Underworld, Su and Ri leading the way.

Persephone was a bit confused when they headed in the opposite direction of the throne room. She hoped they weren't leading her to his personal chambers. The fire that had been dimming inside of her rose to an inferno with that single thought. She was sure she had turned the same color as her dress.

They finally stopped before an open doorway and, with wide, sharp-toothed smiles, the two servants gestured her in. Persephone hesitated only a minute before entering the room, at once realizing that she was in the library. She looked around curiously, wondering if Hades was reading. She hoped she wasn't interrupting anything.

And then she froze, her breath catching in her throat.

Hades sat in one of the plush armchairs, his head resting on his chest. His chest rose and fell with an even rhythm. He looked like an angel. She made her way over to him on silent footsteps, taking a moment to just admire him.

He really was handsome. His face was lean and pale, contrasting sharply with his dark hair. His bangs fell attractively in front of his face, wispy black strands fluttering over closed eyes and resting against his cheeks.

She reached down and gently ran her hand through his soft hair, marveling at the silky texture. At her touch, he stirred, his eyes fluttering open.

"Good m-morning, L-Lord Hades," Persephone quickly retracted her hand, her face aflame with embarrassment. He blinked a few times, his eyes clearing with each blink. Persephone tried to hold back a blush when he rubbed at his eyes, much like a little kid would after a nap.

"Aaa…Good morning," he replied, looking around as if he didn't know exactly where he was. Persephone giggled at his befuddled and still somewhat sleepy expression. He ran a hand through his eternally messy hair, attempting to smooth it down. He only accomplished in making it messier. Persephone felt another giggle escape her throat. A flash of boldness overtook her as she reached out and ran her fingers through his hair, combing out the tangles. Hades went stiff under her touch, looking up at her with penetrating, questioning eyes.

"O-oh! Um, S-sorry, Lord H-Hades, I j-just…" she stumbled over her words, taking a step backwards. Shaking his head, the dark god caught her wrist in his hand, stopping her from moving backwards.

"There is no need to apologize, Persephone. I…aaah…Well, thank you…but I'm afraid it won't do much good to try and fix my hair…It's never cooperated," he said calmly, giving no sign of his inner elation at her simple touch.

The tension in the air instantly vanished with his reassuring words and Persephone moved closer to him again, giggling softly.

"May I…?"

After receiving a confirming nod, she began to comb through his messy dark hair, humming softly as she worked. After a few minutes of working out the tangles, Persephone came to the conclusion that Hades was right. Even after combing through the dark strands various times and taking out all the knots, it still retained its messy, I-just-got-out-of-bed look. A deep, rumbling chuckle spilled out of his mouth as she threw up her hands in surrender.

"Do not concern yourself…I've gotten used to it," he shrugged his shoulders, his expressive eyes sparkling in amusement and a ghost of a smile playing at the corners of his lips, "Now, shall we begin our day?"

All throughout the day, Persephone wondered why everyone assumed Hades was heartless or emotionless. One look into his eyes and she could tell instantly what he was feeling. His midnight blue eyes were like a portal to his heart, a direct connection to his emotions. Whether he felt irritation, amusement, or the smallest brush of insecurity, it was all there, clearly painted in the canvas of his eyes. His facial expressions were a bit harder to read but if she was lucky, she'd catch an expression, whether it was an irritated frown or a mischievous smile, flitting across his face before his mask of apathy clicked back into place.

Those few times that she did happen to catch a smile, she thought she might die from a heart attack. There was just something about his smiles…they were so…_SINCERE, _that it never failed to get her heart racing.

"I ask again, does this look like a ruby to you?"

Persephone snapped back to the present, stuffing her thoughts in the corner to think on later at night. Hades stood beside her, his eyes dark with irritation. One of his goblins, this one an alarming canary yellow, stood in front of him, looking down at the pale gray lump of rock in its hands with a puzzled expression, turning it this way and that.

She had been surprised to know that all the jewels that adorned the gods and goddesses came from Hades. His servants would mine them and he'd send the jewels up to Hephaestus to be fitted and made into jewelry. Though it was clear that the servants had to have constant watch or problems like this would arise.

"Think carefully, Mu," Hades sighed softly, "What is the color of a ruby?"

"Ummm…Well, Mu don' know…This rocky not ruby?"

"No, no it isn't," Hades hissed, impatience tinting his tone, "A ruby is red. Like an apple or a pomegranate or Yo."

Mu looked deep in thought for a moment, munching on the rock in its hand. Hades sighed as the minutes dragged on. Suddenly the yellow creature's neon blue eyes lit up in recognition.

"OH! Like Pretty Lady's dressy-dress! Mu seen ton of those!"

Persephone giggled as Mu clapped its hands, clearly enthralled with the idea of seeing the rocks that its master wanted. Hades rubbed his temple, closing his eyes.

"Mu get rocks for master splittedy-lick!"

Persephone couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up from her lips. She held her stomach as tears of laughter escaped from her eyes.

"I fail to see the hilarity in this situation," the dark god grumbled besides her, exasperation clearly featured in the lines of his brow, though a small smile was forming on his lips.

"Here, Master! I found them! Pretty, red rocky like Pretty Lady's dress!"

"Well done, Mu, you should get an award for possessing the same amount of intelligence as the rock you are holding," Hades stated bluntly. Mu blinked a few times before breaking out in a dance.

"Master happy with Mu!"

"That's absolutely right," he rolled his eyes, "You need to take this to Da and have him take it to Hephaestus…understand?"

"Take red rocky to Da…Da take to 'phaestus?"

At Hades' nod, the yellow creature did another dance before scurrying away. Hades ran a hand through his hair, obviously agitated about his servant's lack of intelligence. That was another thing Persephone had noticed about him. Whenever he was nervous or agitated in any way, he would run a hand through his hair, always successfully making his hair stick up all over the place. Hating seeing him so irritated, Persephone tugged on his robes, tilting her head back to look up at him. She knew her best bet was to change the subject from his oftentimes useless servants.

"Lord Hades could w-we maybe go see C-Cerberus?"

The god looked down at her, silent for a few minutes before he nodded quickly, a relieved sort of expression on his face. Feeling a burst of confidence, Persephone reached out and tangled her fingers with his. He tensed, looking down at her in surprise. She dared not meet his eyes, her entire face aflame and her heart thundering in her chest. His lips quirked up into a smile and he squeezed her hand once before tugging her down the hall, their hands still intertwined. Hades' hand was warm and twice the size of hers, his long fingers wrapped around her small hand. But even though the sizes were mismatched, Persephone noted that their hands fit perfectly, like a puzzle piece.

The instant they stepped into the dog's spacious room, they were assaulted by three slobbery tongues. She was sure she heard Hades mumble 'not again' before he called the dog to attention, his tone firm. Persephone was amazed to see a sort of dog-like pout on Cerberus' doggy face.

They spent the biggest part of the evening playing with Cerberus, who was ecstatic from all the attention he was getting. The evening had also given her another glimpse into the mystery that was Hades. He was playful and just a bit mischievous. She had been swiped off her feet more than once by Cerberus' thick tail due to the fact that Hades had not warned her of it. And conveniently, he had been there every time to catch her. She was sure that Cerberus was in on it too.

"I need to commence the judgments," Hades sighed, his deep voice a bit disappointed, "What would you like to do?"

Persephone bit her lip, "Could I stay just a little bit longer?"

And though his face didn't change in its neutral expression, his eyes sparkled happily. He nodded, standing up and brushing off his robes. He took a step away from the spring goddess and was too late in observing that Cerberus' tail was in a trajectory toward his legs.

His eyes widened with surprise as his knees buckled and he fell forward.

Landing right on Persephone.

Persephone felt her breath catch in her throat as Hades' body pressed against her own in a suggestive manner. She squirmed underneath him, an uncomfortable heat raging through her, starting at her core and quickly traveling through her whole body. She looked up into Hades' face, shocked to find it inches from her own. Their breaths mingled in the air between them. He hovered above her, holding his large form by his arms in an attempt not to crush her. Their eyes locked, a shock of electricity shooting up their spines. With an agonizing slowness and trembling hands, Persephone reached up and gently touched Hades' soft face. His eyes darkened the slightest bit, watching her with a burning intensity. A soft tug was all it took to bring his face down until her lips touched his. Persephone was unprepared for the raging heat that took over her body. Her mind short-fused and her heart seemed ready to burst out of her chest. Hades' lips moved gently against hers, mimicking her slow movements. A soft moan escaped her mouth when one of his pale hands gripped her waist, his fingers tracing their way upwards.

Hesitantly, Hades broke the kiss, his cheeks a light pink. Persephone felt a shudder travel down the entire length of her body at the look he was giving her.

A weird humming sound filled the room, breaking the trance that the two had fallen under. Persephone flushed from her head down to her toes, resembling a bright red cherry. Hades' eyes widened the slightest bit, rushing to remove himself from their position. He stood quickly, the lightest pink adorning his cheeks. He stumbled over his words as he helped her up, his breathing just a bit ragged. Persephone just shook her head at his stumbled apologies, her heartbeat erratic.

"I-I think I'll g-g-go t-t-to my r-r-room to…c-c-cool down," she stuttered, before making a mad dash to the door. She glanced back only once to see a humming Cerberus and a flustered and angry Hades.

After locking herself in her room, she took a nice, COLD bath and attempted to take her mind off things by reading one of the books she had Su get for her. It was proving to be a failure as she couldn't seem to focus on the words. A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts.

"Come in," she closed the book, stretching her small body out to its full capacity. The door opened and Hades' dark head popped in. Her body instantly reacted to his presence, heat traveling faster than the speed Hermes flew to deliver Zeus' lightning bolts.

"I just wanted to say good night," Hades said softly and just a bit nervously. Persephone felt her heart melt at the insecurity she could see in his eyes. Standing up from her position on the bed, she silently made her way over to him, standing up on her tiptoes until she could land a soft kiss on his pale cheek.

"Good night, Lord Hades," she smiled softly, "Until tomorrow."

His answering smile was beautiful. He nodded before bending down and placing a similar innocent kiss to her forehead.

"Until tomorrow," his voice was huskier than usual, deeper and more seductive. Persephone shivered, his simple words raising goosebumps on her arms. With a last scorching look, he vanished down the hall.

That night, Persephone found that she had trouble falling asleep. Her thoughts kept revolving around Hades. Even when she closed her eyes, she could see his pale face, his dark blue eyes alive with some familiar and yet totally unknown emotion.

It wasn't until much later that night that Persephone even thought of her mother and what she would think before promptly deciding that she didn't care.

Her last conscious thought was a hope that her mother was all right before she finally fell asleep, dreaming of dark-haired Gods and heated kisses.

*Author's note: Well...I don't really have much to comment about this chapter. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Until next Friday.


	11. Chapter 11

*Author's note: I once again took advantage of my creative license. If you got a problem with it, you can take it up with me. I'm open for any suggestions. Thank you for all the readers who have left reviews. I appreciate them. I have to say, I've had fun writing Cerberus character. Enough of my blabber...Have a great reading...I'll be off watching Castle. Until next Friday.

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"That wasn't amusing in the least, Cerberus," Hades scowled at the three-headed dog, glaring up at the canine when he gave a dog-like snicker. Hades sat down with a weary sigh, leaning his back against the wall.

'_You should be thanking me,'_ a throaty voice echoed in Hades' head. Hades glared at Cerberus once more, his icy gaze clearly telling the canine that thanking him was the furthest thing in his mind.

'_Oh, come on, master! It made for a perfect opportunity!'_

"Cerberus, it might surprise you but…I care deeply for Persephone. I…I don't want to frighten her away. Do you understand?"

'_She didn't seem all that frightened when you were…'_

"Finish that sentence and you die," a light pink dusting of color had invaded Hades' cheeks and he looked away from the smirking canine. Cerberus gave a barking laugh, his six eyes twinkling excitedly.

'_Seriously, chief…I think she likes you,'_ Cerberus lay down on the floor with a loud thump, his three different pairs of eyes serious. Hades looked up at his friend uncertainly though a bit of hope shone in his eyes.

"You…You think so?"

Hades could practically see the beaming smile from the canine's response, _'I know so.'_

The dark god exhaled sharply, running a hand over his face, "I don't know, Cerberus…I've never attempted wooing anyone before. What if I commit a mistake?"

'_Boss, seriously, you just need to be yourself, as cliché as that sounds,'_ Cerberus' throaty voice echoed again, _'So…when are you going to tell her that you two are engaged?"_

Hades paled, his dark eyes widening, "I…forgot about that situation."

'_Geez, chief, do you ever think things through before you do them?'_

"I used to," Hades' voice was a low murmur that even Cerberus had a hard time hearing. The large canine whined in sympathy, butting Hades affectionately with his black head.

'_Hey, cheer up, boss. I bet a week's worth of bones that she'll say yes if you ask,' _Cerberus winked with three of his eyes, humming in amusement when his master flushed pink once again. He was quiet for a minute and then he sighed sadly.

"Forgive me, Cerberus, but I…I just…I can't take that chance," his voice had dropped low again, "I'm afraid."

'_Aw, chief…You're willing to be miserable for the rest of your immortal life just because you're afraid to ask her if she feels the same way?"_

"Better a miserable life than a broken heart for the rest of forever," a wan smile appeared on his face, his eyes dark with despair.

He was suddenly knocked back, his head making a sharp crack as it hit the wall. Hades hissed in pain, bringing up his hand to rub at the bump that was forming. Cerberus glared down at him, shifting his tail back into its previous position.

"What was that for?"

'_For acting like an idiot…Look, boos, we know you aren't stupid…We know you're scared…But you need to toughen up! Fight for what you want! Sweep her off her feet! She's already head-over-heels for you! It'll be a piece of cake! You just need to…trust in yourself more, boss,' _Cerberus held Hades gaze, his tone of voice both serious and encouraging. Hades said nothing, his head hanging down, his eyes trained on the floor. All was quiet for the next several minutes.

The silence was broken by Hades' soft voice, "Even if I do manage to ask her…and she accepts…There is still one obstacle."

'_What's that, chief?'_

"Demeter…"

'_Oh…Sorry, chief…You're screwed…"_

"Thanks…"

xxxxxxxx

The next morning, Hades woke up in his bed, thoughts of what he was going to do swirling around in his head. He had slept fitfully, not quite able to descend into complete unconsciousness. Still sleepy from his restless night, he decided that a hot bath would be a good way to start the day. He soaked in the water for a good part of an hour, only getting out when the water had cooled considerably.

Getting out, he shook out his hair, spraying water all over his bathroom floor. He firmly wrapped the towel around his middle before stepping outside into his room. He was not expecting to see Su or Ri standing there in the middle of it, broad smiles on their faces. Nor was he expecting to see Persephone, her face aflame, fidgeting nervously beside them. He took a moment to let his eyes roam over her lean figure, glad that she was wearing the dresses he set out for her. The one she had chosen today was a deep emerald and complimented her eyes nicely.

Persephone was doing her best not to stare at him. But that was proving to be a failure for the goddess. He stood before her clad only in a towel, small droplets of water running down his chiseled chest. She had glimpsed a bit of it that day on Mount Olympus, but looking at the expanse of it now, nearly drove her over the edge. His pale skin glowed in the light of the room, his wet hair sticking to his forehead. He looked unbearably sexy and Persephone was doing her best not to faint.

Hades was speechless for a few minutes, his gaze frozen on Persephone. He was finally able to gather his wits and turned to glare at his two servants.

"What are you doing here?"

"Su and Ri worried…Master not at chair room, not at book room, not even in doggy room…So Su and Ri sniff out Master!"

"You do realize that this is my room and that I am practically naked?"

"Uhm…Yes?"

"And what are you going to do about it?"

The two servants looked at one another, clearly at a loss. Hades stole a glance at Persephone, following her gaze and was startled to realize she was staring at his chest. He coughed lightly and her head snapped up, her face instantly turning an interesting shade of red.

"We going to wait for Lordy-Lord to put clothes on?"

"Close…But I have a much better idea," his voice had dropped into a frigid whisper, "How about you turn yourselves around and leave my room?"

"Y-y-y-y-y-yes, master!"

"S-s-sorry, Lord Hades, S-Su and Ri said t-they k-knew where you w-were s-s-so I followed t-them," Persephone began backing away toward the door, her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Hades waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm sure you had nothing to do with it, Persephone. Please don't concern yourself. Would you mind waiting outside while I…change?"

Persephone shook her head, her golden curls bouncing with the movement. Hades chuckled as he watched her make a mad dash to the door and disappear from view. He quickly got dressed in a pair of black slacks, a silk black shirt, and comfortable black sandals. He picked up his cloak but decided against it.

He exited the room, finding Persephone waiting patiently for him outside. Su and Ri were bashing their heads against the wall and it seemed Persephone had given up trying to get them to stop.

"Su, Ri, cut it out," he said sharply. Both servants instantly obeyed, standing dejectedly in front of him. Persephone stood with her mouth agape, staring at him with wide eyes.

'…_Sweep her off her feet! She's already head-over-heels for you!...'_

Hades started as Cerberus' words rang through his mind. He wondered if it could be possible. He was sure that she at least liked him…nobody kissed people they didn't like, especially with so much passion as she had. There was no denying that there was an attraction between them. He had heard other gods talking about his unique looks, jealous stares following him when he made the occasional trip to Mount Olympus. But a beautiful young goddess like her couldn't possibly truly fall for someone as queer as him…could she?

He found that looking over at her now, with her vivid green eyes trained on him and her cheeks turning a light pink, he didn't know anymore. And at that moment, he could feel a tiny spark ignite within him. A tiny spark of hope.

"Shall we?"

Persephone snapped out of her trance, glancing down at Hades' extended hand. With a shy smile, she took it, tangling their fingers together.

"What's the plan for today?"

"How about a boat ride…I'm sure Charon is up for it," he quietly led her through the corridors toward the entrance of the mansion, maneuvering around scampering servants. She looked excited by the idea.

"P-perhaps later we c-c-could read together?"

"If that is what you would like to do," Hades squeezed her hand lightly, signaling a few of his servants to open the large doors that led to the outside, "You are my guest here and I will do anything to make your stay as comfortable as possible."

"Thank you," she looked up at him with gratitude, standing up on her tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on his cheek. He attempted to control the blush that was emerging on his cheeks.

The boat ride was fairly uneventful for him. He'd seen the Underworld more times than he could count. But he couldn't help being caught up in Persephone's excitement. He would have enjoyed it more had Charon kept his suggestive comments to himself.

The boatman wouldn't stop making jabs at his relationship with Persephone. It got so bad that Hades had entertained the idea of throwing him overboard. He sighed in relief as the boat finally docked. With a withering glare in Charon's direction, he followed Persephone to the library. After making themselves comfortable, both began to read the scroll that they had picked out, once in a while stealing glances at each other.

"Lord Hades?"

He made a small grunting noise, signaling that he'd heard her. She fidgeted a bit before speaking up again.

"How long h-h-have I been down here? I mean, it f-f-feels like I've been down here three d-days but there isn't any sun, so I can't tell," she bit her lip, wringing her hands nervously.

"Hmm…Are you concerned for your mother?"

She nodded slowly, the parchment she had been reading long forgotten.

"I believe it has been a week since I…well, since you came here," he cleared his throat, lifting up his eyes to look up at her. She gasped in shock, her green eyes widening.

"A w-w-week?"

He nodded, cocking his head, "Yes…"

"Mom's going to kill me…I bet she's going bonkers right about now…A week…How?"

Hades shrugged, "Since the Underworld has no sun…Well, we're not extremely picky about our time schedules…not that anyone around here has them."

She nodded mutely, shock still written in the tense line of her brow. He got up from his seat, making his way in front of her.

"Persephone…If you want, I can take you back," he felt as if his heart was being ripped out of his chest as he said these words. Persephone looked down at him, her green eyes tearing up.

"B-But I d-d-don't want to go y-yet…I mean…I d-d-don't think another f-few days will make that m-much of a difference…do you?"

Hades' mouth dropped open, his mouth moved but no sounds came out. She wanted to stay…He felt his ripped-out heart suddenly jump back into place, beating faster than he ever thought possible.

"Lord Hades? It…It is okay, right?"

He gulped down the lump in his throat and managed to choke out a strangled sounding yes. She beamed down at him, though a hint of worry still shone in her eyes. Without thinking, he leaned forward and brushed her tears away from her cheek. She sighed softly, her eyes half-lidded.

"Persephone, I…I'm glad you're staying," he breathed out, his hand still caressing her cheek. She gazed at him under her thick eyelashes and smiled shyly.

"Me too," she whispered back, turning her face and gifting a small kiss onto the hand that held her face. He tensed, a shudder working its way down his body.

'_She's already head-over-heels for you!'_

Looking into her earnest green gaze, a bit more of the doubt crumbled away and he thought that maybe, just maybe, her falling for him wasn't such a large stretch after all.


	12. Chapter 12

Persephone quietly poked her head into Hades' bedroom, her eyes instantly seeking out his form. He lay sprawled on the bed, his chest rising and falling in an even rhythm. He had been working late the past 2 days in order to spend more time with her and it was starting to show on his pale face, the dark shadows under his eyes showing easily on the ivory surface of his skin. She felt her lips twist up into a soft smile before she closed the door, making sure that she made no sound.

Persephone quickly made her way down the hall towards the front doors of the mansion. Su and Ri followed quietly, their eyes bright. The two pushed the doors open and soon Persephone was standing by the riverside. She waved goodbye to her two friends, watching them scurry back into the interior of the large building. She turned back toward the River, looking around for a few seconds before she caught sight of what she was looking for.

"There ya are, lil' lady," an elderly voice called out, "I was beginning to think ya weren't comin'."

Persephone smiled as she climbed into the large raft-like boat, "Sorry that you had to wait, Charon. I was checking to see if Lord Hades was awake."

The old man's bluish-gray eyes twinkled eerily in the light, his smile showing a mouth full of crooked and broken teeth. He nodded his head sagely, shuffling towards the front of the boat, his large pole in his hand. Persephone sat down on one of the deck chairs, absentmindedly twirling her hair between her fingers. Charon began rowing, his wiry hands and arms skillfully using the pole to put the boat into motion.

"You're sure that Lord Hades won't mind?"

"Not at all, lass! If ye haven't noticed yet, Lord Hades will do anythin' for ya," Charon's voice was scratchy, a low grating sound as if he hadn't used his voice in a long time. Persephone was quiet for a while, watching the river rush by underneath the boat as Charon silently used his pole to guide them.

"Why is that, do you think?"

Charon looked up at her, disbelief written on his features, "Ya mean ya don' know?"

Persephone flushed in embarrassment, shaking her head. She felt stupid. If even Charon knew the reason, she could surely figure it out. Couldn't she?

"Then I won't spoil the surprise," Charon cackled gleefully, his thin frame shaking with laughter. Persephone sighed dejectedly, staring out at the dark world. She knew Hades didn't go around kidnapping young goddesses just for fun. She had overheard her father saying once that out of all the gods, Hades had to be the most responsible. She was positive the Lord of the Underworld had an ulterior motive. But she couldn't figure out what that was. What did he have to gain from taking her and treating her like a princess? What profit could he possibly make from kissing her? It just didn't make any sense to the young goddess.

And the more time she spent around him, the deeper she could feel herself falling for the mysterious god. He was sweet, gentle, chivalrous, mysterious…everything a young girl dreams of. Sometimes she wished her mom were the kind of mother that she could run to and confide in her about her insecurities. But she knew Demeter would lock her in her room for the rest of forever if she were to bring up the topic of boys. Persephone felt so full of emotion, so bloated with questions, that she feared she would burst if she didn't tell someone soon. And looking over at Charon, she decided that he would be that lucky person.

"Charon?"

"Yeah, lass?"

"Have you ever been in love?"

A slow smile emerged on the old man's wrinkled face, "Can't say that I av. Why's you askin', love?"

"Oh, never mind then," she looked away, not catching the old man's knowing smirk. All was quiet for the next few minutes before Persephone couldn't take it any longer. If she didn't confide in someone, she was sure her heart would explode.

"Okay, okay! I've decided that I'm going to tell you…But you have to promise to keep your mouth shut, Charon!"

Charon cackled again, leaning against the stern of the boat, "You 'ave my word, little lady."

"Charon…I think…well, see, ummm…I think I've fallen i-i-in l-l-l-love with…L-Lord H-H-Hades," her face resembled a bright red cherry and she ducked her head down to cover the blush. Charon's smirk widened into a chesire-like grin, his broken teeth poking through. Persephone was quick to amend her statement.

"B-B-But I don't know for certain…I mean, I've never been in love before," she brought her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them and gazing out at nothing in particular with sorrowful green eyes. Charon looked out over the river, a thoughtful expression on his wizened face.

"Well, what do you feel like when 'e is aroun'?"

"Oh, where do I begin? I can't seem to speak without stuttering, my stomach flip-flops, I can't stop looking at him, I can't stop thinking about him, my heart seems like it's going to explode any minute from how fast it's moving and my face is going to permanently stay red one of these days," she exhaled deeply, messing with a strand of her golden curls in agitation. Charon looked at her blankly for a few minutes before comprehension dawned on his face.

"Ah! Fer a moment there I thought ye were speakin' gibberish. Well, it sounds like ya 'ave all the symptoms, lassie," another dry cackle erupted from his mouth, "Who'd 'ave thought? The goddess of spring hooking up with the Lord of the dead? Ironic, that is."

"All the s-s-symptoms? But I though you said you'd never been in love before," Persephone blinked slowly, cocking her head in confusion. Charon guffawed, clapping his hands in delight.

"Yeppers, all the symptoms of bein' in love…Why, you don't gotta be in love t'know about it! Plenty o' dead folks to talk to down here, ya know," Charon stroked his beard a few times, obviously amused. Persephone was no longer listening. Suddenly everything that she'd been feeling all made sense. The realization was like a flash of lightning lighting up a dark night. She was in love with the Lord of the Underworld.

"You all right there, lil lady?"

"Charon…I'm in love with Lord H-Hades," she turned to him, her green eyes sparkling. Charon's smirk softened and he nodded. Persephone felt as if a great weight had been lifted from her heart. She stood and spontaneously twirled in a circle, laughing euphorically.

"I'm in love with Lord Hades!"

"That's right, kiddo," Charon resumed rowing again, making a beeline towards the shore. He smirked as he caught sight of the dark shadow standing by the shoreline.

"Looks like we 'ave a welcomin' committee," he nodded towards the shore and Persephone could just make out Hades' towering form through the mist. The familiar butterflies burst into life within her stomach. As soon as the boat had docked, the dark god was at the side, helping her down. When her feet touched the floor, she flung herself at the puzzled god, wrapping her arms around his neck. He staggered back a few steps but remained upright.

"Persephone, is something the matter?"

She shook her head, burying her face in the crook of his neck, "No, I'm fine. I'm more than fine, actually."

"Oh? Is there a specific reason for the burst of happiness?"

"I'll tell you soon…I promise," she lifted her face up, planting a soft kiss onto his cheek. He cocked his head but didn't press her on the issue. Giggling, she grasped his hand, tugging him toward the front doors. A half-smile appeared on his face as he let himself be towed away. She stopped a second later, turning towards the shore once again.

"Oh! Charon! Thank you for the boat ride! It was very helpful!"

Charon nodded in her direction, a satisfied smirk on his face as he pushed off the shore. Persephone waited until he faded into the mist before resuming her trajectory toward the doors, Hades still in tow.

"I'm relieved to see you like this, Persephone," Hades' soft voice came from behind her, "You seemed down the last couple of days."

"I was a little worried…I have no idea what kind of mood Mom will be in when I get back," Persephone frowned, her mood temporarily dampened by thoughts of her mother. Hades paled beside her, his hand tightening around hers. Persephone felt the small pressure and stopped suddenly, wheeling around to face him. His eyes had darkened to a near black, a sure sign of the guilt he was feeling.

"It's my fault…I shouldn't have taken you," he took an unsteady breath, "I'll probably never…never get to see you again after this."

Persephone's green eyes widened as she realized he was right. When she got back, her mother would do everything in her power to make sure that Persephone never saw Hades again.

"Hey, l-let's not worry about it now, o-okay? We'll figure something out," her hands automatically reached up to touch his face, skimming over the pale ivory surface. He sighed but she was relieved to notice that his eyes had brightened just a fraction, turning a velvet midnight blue.

"Hmm…Persephone, I've got something for you," one of his trademark ghostly smiles appeared on his face, the roles now reserved as he gently led her by the hand. Persephone followed obediently, her green eyes brimming with curiosity. She knew asking would be pointless. He finally stopped at one of the many sitting rooms that littered the castle.

"Close your eyes," he whispered, his breath fanning her face. She obeyed quickly, shutting her eyes tight. A breathy chuckle escaped his lips, washing over her like warm honey. He gently guided her hands until they were palm-up and open. Something lightweight and cool dropped into her hands. She instantly opened her eyes and her breath caught in her throat.

Glinting up at her, sparkling in the dim light of the room was a ruby ring. The crimson gem had been shaped to resemble a rose, the dark metal that made the band twisted into vines. It was exquisite and beautiful, a true work of art.

"Do you like it?"

Persephone could do nothing but nod, her mouth agape. Hades breathed a sigh of relief, messing with the clasp of his cloak. She looked up at him, noticing that he seemed a bit nervous. She squelched any signs of hope she had, not wanting to be disappointed if the ring he had given her meant nothing more than a gift of friendship. But the niggling thought that he was somehow proposing kept popping up in her mind. She'd heard about it enough times from the nymphs...a brilliant ring went hand in hand with a marriage proposal.

"Persephone, I'm conscious of the fact that we have not known each other for a long time," the statement was said in a rush, startling Persephone enough to make her jump, "Sorry."

"No, i-it's all right…Y-You were saying?"

"Right," he coughed lightly, his cheeks now colored a light pink, "Persephone, I know this may seem strange…but the truth is that I…"

"LORDY-LORD! LORDY-LORD!"

Hades' eyes darkened to coal black, his jaw tight, "What is it?"

"CHARON BOAT TOO FULL! LIKE LAST TWO NIGHTY-NIGHTS! TOO MANY GHOSTIES!"

"Could this wait for just a minute?"

Su and Ri looked at each other, whispering in hushed tones. Grinning wickedly, they nodded. Hades stared at the two blankly. They stared back, their expressions expectant.

"Are you going to keep standing there or do I have to forcefully throw you out?"

With a squeak, the two rushed out, fighting to get out first. If Persephone had been a little less nervous she might have found it funny. Hades massaged his temples, looking a bit unsteady on his feet all of a sudden. The spring goddess looked up at him, suddenly worried. He'd been having constant headaches the past few days and Persephone always felt a stab of concern when he mentioned them to her.

"Lord H-Hades, are you f-feeling all right?"

Hades blinked a few times, shaking his head as if to clear it, "I'm…I'm fine…"

Persephone couldn't help the scream that erupted from her mouth as the dark god collapsed in front of her, his body limp and unmoving.

*Author's note: Sorry to leave you with a sort of cliffhanger. I'm sure you guys can survive another seven days though. Have a great weekend everyone.


	13. Chapter 13

Hades groaned, slowly opening his eyes. He felt disoriented. Maroon sheets covered his form and his head rested on a pillow. He was sure that he had been in one of his sitting rooms with Persephone before, not in his bedroom…unless everything had been a dream. He felt the panic rising in his heart at the thought but forced himself to calm down. He suddenly became aware of a light pressure on his hand and turned his head to find Persephone, asleep with her hand wrapped around his. His body relaxed instantly, slumping back into the bed.

"Ye all righ' there, Lord Hades?"

Hades looked up to find Charon by the doorway, his wrinkly face drawn into a worried frown. Hades sat up, his muscles surprisingly sore.

"I…I think so," he ran his hand through his hair, still confused as to how he had gotten there. The possibility that this was a dream was ruled out…Persephone was still here. Charon sighed in relief, rubbing his hands up and down the wooden pole he carried, bringing Hades' attention back to the ferryman.

"Ya gave us quite a scare there, master," the old boatman shuffled inside, sitting down on one of the chairs in the room, his joints popping loudly, "Persephone was real worried. Hasn't left your bedside since."

A strange howling sound interrupted Hades as he opened his mouth to speak. He cast an inquisitive glance at Charon and the old man shrugged helplessly.

"Cerberus' a lil upset," the boatman made himself comfortable on the plush seat, "Wanted to come in and sit with the little lady…Would 'ave done it too if I hadn't pointed out to 'im that 'e wouldn' 'ave fit."

Another woeful howl, this one louder than the last, echoed through the spacious building. Persephone stirred beside him, her eyes blinking open. She looked around blearily before her eyes focused on the dark god sitting up in bed.

"LORD HADES!"

Hades was knocked back against the bed, Persephone's arms tight around his neck. He froze, his dark blue eyes wide until he felt something wet dripping onto his shoulder. He moved Persephone back a bit, tilting the spring goddesses' face up. His suspicions were confirmed as he saw a crystal tear make its way down her cheek.

"What's wrong?"

"What's WRONG? You suddenly collapsed and you're asking me what's WRONG? I was WORRIED about you! Everyone was!"

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to scare you," he murmured, bringing her closer to him and cradling her near his chest. The goddess clung to him, quiet sobs shaking her lean frame. Hades caught a glimpse of red on her finger and was startled to see the ring he had presented to her.

"So…Why did you collapse?"

He snapped out of his trance, glancing back at the girl who had stolen his heart, "Aa…What was that?"

"Oh, dear Zeus…Ya see, lil lady, when the boss does too many judgin's one after th'other without stoppin' fer a break, he has 'em faintin' spells," Charon rolled his eyes, "'E usually knows 'is limit…It's not often 'e has these."

Persephone glanced up at Hades, her eyes still full of tears. He gently brushed away some that were escaping down her cheeks, his touch as soft as a butterfly's wing.

A soft blush made its way onto her cheeks but her green eyes were still dark with worry, "Limit?"

"It takes a reasonable amount of energy for me to sift through the lives so quickly…So when I do too many…well, my body shuts down for a bit," he began to unconsciously stroke Persephone's hair, enjoying the feel of her body pressed against his.

"I'm sorry," she whispered softly, her arms tightening around his body. Hades cocked his head, leaning down so he could hear her better.

"What for?"

"Don't you see? It's my entire fault," Persephone wailed in distress, "I took away so much of your time, you always had to stay up late to do the judgments. If I hadn't been so selfish…"

"It's not your fault," Hades voice was stern and left no room for arguments, "Persephone, I wanted to spend time with you…None of it is your fault. I just overstepped my limits."

"Not to mention tha' the number o' dead 'av been increasin' every day," Charon piped up from his spot on his chair, a pipe now set between his lips. Hades gave the ferryman a disapproving frown and with a sigh, Charon put the pipe away in his robes, grumbling irritably.

"It's been increasing?"

Hades sighed but nodded, not wanting to worry the goddess further. Hades own worry had grown as the number of souls increased steadily and he found the cause of death for the majority of them was the same. Many of the souls that he had judged the past few days had starved. And Hades knew that if they were starving it meant that Demeter was not in a happy mood. It seemed that he would have to return the spring goddess to her mother sooner rather than later.

"It's my mother, isn't it?"

His head snapped up, his eyes widening in shock. Persephone's mouth tilted down, an irritated frown taking place of the worried one from before.

"I knew it…She's throwing another of her temper tantrums," the goddess huffed irritably, wishing her mother didn't have such a flair for the dramatic.

"You have to understand her point of view…Her only child vanished into the ground," Hades couldn't believe he was defending the overprotective earth goddess but he felt he owed it to Demeter. Persephone was her only child and he had heard of how the plumb goddess doted on her.

"That still doesn't give her the right to kill innocent people," Persephone sighed, secretly surprised that Hades would try to explain her mother's actions but she found it endearing that he would do so. She was positive that she would have to return now. She didn't want Lord Hades to overwork himself just because her mother was acting childish. A horrible pang tugged at her heart and she recognized the feeling of loss from when she had been younger and her favorite butterfly had died.

But this was much stronger than what she had felt from the death of a butterfly. She could actually feel her heart breaking into miniscule shards, shattering within her chest.

Hades sighed, his own heart splintering. He knew from watching Persephone so often that she would want to go back. He could also see it in her eyes…the raw determination in them.

"I believe the time has come to return you to where you belong," his voice was a desolate whisper, empty of any emotion. Persephone bit her lip, trying to keep from crying.

"Is tha' what I think it is?"

Both immortal beings turned toward Charon, startled by his sudden question. They had forgotten that the boatman was even in the room.

"What are you talking about?"

Charon grunted, "Why, tha' ring on your finger, lass. Is it, melord?"

Hades' cheeks flushed a light pink but he nodded. Charon's face split into a twisted smile, his broken teeth flashing in the low light. Persephone looked down at the ring on her finger, confused. Charon noticed the goddess' puzzled expression, his grin slowly fading, and confusion settling into his wrinkly features.

"Ya haven' told 'er?"

The blush on Hades' cheeks intensified and he shook his head, turning his head away, "I was interrupted on more than one account when I tried."

"She don' know?"

"NO," Hades grumbled, irritation clawing its way up into his voice. The ferryman's mouth opened and closed several times, speechless.

"I don't know what?"

Charon looked towards his master and Hades nodded, ducking his head to hide his pink cheeks. Looking more at ease now, the old man turned toward Persephone, a sly glint in his bluish-gray eyes.

"Tha' there ring ye gots on your finger…it's got a special meanin'…Think, little lady…I'm sure ye seen one like it afore," Charon hummed in amusement, positively beaming.

Persephone looked down at the ring, trying to think if she had ever glimpsed something so beautiful in the past. Taking a closer look at it now, it did seem somewhat familiar. With a gasp, she suddenly recalled where'd she'd seen a similar ring. Hera wore something like this, a golden band with a blue sapphire flower set in the middle. She had asked her mother once what it meant and why only Hera had one. Demeter had explained that it was a marriage band, a sign that Hera and Zeus were joined in matrimony and since Hera was the only one officially married, she was the only one who wore one.

Persephone flushed a beet red, not daring to look up at Hades. He tensed beside her, knowing that she'd figured out what the ring meant. Charon cackled himself into a fit of coughing. Persephone gathered up all her courage, wanting to be certain that she wasn't just fantasizing all of this.

"Is…Is this really an e-engagement ring?"

Hade stiffened, his body rooted to the spot. With agonizing slowness, he tilted his head down and caught her gaze, dark-blue clashing against warm green. He gave an almost imperceptible nod, his heart thumping uncomfortably within the confines of his chest. Persephone felt her heart stop in her chest, her breathing growing shallow. She swallowed the lump in her throat, trying to read the emotion in his eyes.

"Why?"

"What?"

Persephone flushed again but pressed forward, "You were planning to a-ask me before you collapsed…"

He nodded again, watching her reactions carefully. Charon watched through narrowed eyes, an expectant grin on his face, content to just sit back and watch the show.

"But…I just don't understand…You knew what this was," a nod from him confirmed her accusation, "So this wasn't j-just some friendly gift…You…you want to m-m-marry me…is…is that true? Or am I missing s-something here?"

Hades felt shame as her green eyes probed his, "Yes…It's true…My intention on giving you that ring was to ask for your hand in marriage."

"Why?"

Hades blinked, now puzzled by her question, "Excuse me?"

"W-why would you want to m-marry me? I'm nothing special…just a minor goddess with an overprotective mother. And you…you're one of the big three, the Lord of the Underworld, the most amazing person I've ever met! Why would you want to marry someone as insignificant as me?"

Before he could entirely think his actions through, he stepped forward, leaned down, and pressed his lips against hers. His hand moved to the back of her head, keeping her in place as his lips gently moved against hers. He broke away after a few minutes, looking down at her with a determined scowl.

"Never say that…You are not insignificant…Not to me," the conviction in his voice left no room for arguments, his dark eyes boring into hers.

"Then why?"

The question was a bare whisper, a breathless gasp escaping from her pink lips.

"Because, Persephone, I," he hesitated for a minute, taking a deep breath before continuing, "I love you."

*Author's note: Another chapter done. Really, thank you for all the wonderful reviews everyone. You guys really are too kind. Until next week. Have a great weekend.


	14. Chapter 14

"Is Demeter in?"

Helios cringed as a loud bawling sound came from a set of doors, echoing through the building. The nymph who he had asked shrank back, nodding hesitantly, obviously frightened by her mistress' miserable mood. Leaving the nymph cowering on the floor, the sun god slowly knocked on the door, wincing when a tearful 'Come in' was uttered.

Helios cautiously entered the room, his sky blue eyes scanning it for signs of the portly goddess. He found her on her throne, dark circles beneath her eyes, her hair unkempt and her eyes bloodshot. She looked up when he approached, her eyes suspicious.

"Helios?"

"Demeter," he acknowledged the goddess with a nod of his golden head, his blue eyes worried. Demeter squinted, making no moves to lift herself from her throne, her whole form slumped.

"What do you want?"

The sun god flinched at how empty the normally exuberant woman sounded, "I've got some information on Persephone."

The woman instantly perked up, her dark green eyes flashing with life for the first time since he had entered the room.

"My sweet Kore?"

Helios nodded, relief flooding him as he saw a hopeful smile on Demeter's face. Helios had debated a while on whether to tell the worried mother where her daughter was. He had seen who had taken Persephone and he had been afraid of what the god would do to him if he revealed Persephone's whereabouts to anyone.

But as the time passed with no sign of Persephone and no end to the famine, Helios decided that the right action to take was to tell Demeter the whole story.

He just hoped that word would never reach Hades that he was the one who babbled.

xxxxxxxxx

"ZEUS! ZEUS! WE NEED TO GET A RESCUE TEAM! NOW!"

The head god almost dropped the small plate of food he carried, startled by Demeter's sudden appearance. He caught it just in time, sighing in relief, 'Safe.'

With almost no food growing, every scrap was to be cherished and Zeus thanked the skies that he had quick reflexes…It had saved him on more than one occasion when Hera's foul moods surged up.

"Whoa, Demeter, slow down…Where's the fire?"

"HE TOOK HER! THAT SADISTIC, MURDEROUS, UNPREDICTABLE, SNEAKING CREEPER TOOK MY SWEET KORE!"

Zeus raised an eyebrow, confused, "Who's a sadistic, murderous, unpredictable, sneaking creeper?"

"THAT HORRIBLE MONSTER WE HAVE TO CALL A BROTHER!"

"Now, now, Demeter, I have no idea what you're talking about," Zeus scratched his head, seriously lost. He was surprised to see the goddess up and about. She had refused to talk to any of the gods when they had tried to coax her into getting things growing again. They had been searching day and night for the spring goddess, with no luck. The Immortals were becoming desperate…Demeter had refused to let things grow until her daughter was safely returned.

When Demeter had first told him of Persephone's disappearance, he'd immediately thought of Hades.

But he soon discarded that idea. He was sure his brother wouldn't do something so reckless or stupid like that. In all the time they had been together, Hades had never broken a rule or done anything drastic.

"HADES! THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! HE TOOK MY INNONCENT KORE!"

"Hades? Demeter, please…we both know that Hades wouldn't do something like this, he's much too…responsible," he spat out the last words, scrunching up his nose in disgust. Those words always left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"I heard from a very reliable source that it was Hades who took my daughter," the round woman growled, grabbing the collar of Zeus' toga and lifting him off the ground, "And I WANT HER BACK!"

Zeus' did not like to be threatened; especially by one of his siblings…of course, Hades was an exception. And even then he didn't like being threatened…But he felt no fear when any of his other siblings spewed curses at him. He pushed Demeter away from him, dusting off his toga irritably.

"Why would he want to steal her when I already agreed to let him marry her?"

Silence enveloped the room for a few minutes. Many of the gods and goddesses surrounding them looked at their ruler in horror. Demeter looked thunderstruck, her mouth gaping open.

"WHAT?"

xxxxxxxxxx

Persephone was having trouble breathing. Her chest felt constricted and her heart felt too big for her ribcage. She wasn't quite sure if she had heard right. Hades stood awkwardly, his cheeks burning up.

"You…You love me?"

The redness in Hades' cheeks traveled to the rest of his face and down his neck as he nodded shyly. Persephone's heart did a double flip, seeing the complete sincerity in his midnight blue eyes, the immense vulnerability in his tense posture. Everything she had felt for the past few days bubbled to the surface, every emotion that she had felt surging upwards.

A sob broke its way from her lips as she threw herself at him, "M-Me too. I love you too."

She was openly crying now, the tears making their way down her cheeks like two waterfalls. Hades stood stiff, not knowing how to respond. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined this scenario. Never had he thought that she would accept his feelings…and return them.

Slowly and a bit hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her, almost as if she was a porcelain doll that would break if held too tightly. He prayed that this wouldn't just turn out to be a dream that his weary mind had conjured up. She held onto him tightly, her face buried in his warm chest, gasping sobs shaking her entire frame.

The tender moment was broken by a dry cough from the corner.

"Well now…this is a bit awkward…"

Persephone turned a dark crimson, pressing herself closer to the Lord of the Underworld. Hades glowered at Charon, his piercing glare making the old man cringe.

"You could have removed yourself," Hades voice dripped with venom, a liquid fire burning in his blue gaze. The ferryman gulped nervously, taking a few steps away from the couple.

"I wanted to make sure tha' everythin' would be alright, considerin' how dense the two of youse are," he took another couple of steps toward the door, " 'Sides, I just want'd to point out somethin'…if you two was married, your momma wouldn' be able ta separate the two of youse, would she?"

Persephone looked up, her mouth agape and her eyes wide, shocked relief flooding her body. Hades froze with surprise, blinking a few times. With a last crooked smile, Charon left the room, chuckling as he went down the hall to reassure Cerberus that all was well.

"If…If we were to marry…Charon's right…Mother wouldn't be able to separate us, would she?"

Hades thought for a minute, his eyes narrowed, "…No…We would be joined for eternity…a pair whether she agreed to it or not…"

"But…Don't you need my father's permission?"

Persephone knew her mother would never allow it but she wanted at least one of her parent's consent. She had also been told by the nymphs that whenever a god or goddess wanted to get married, they were required to ask the ruling god, aka her father, for permission.

The dark god ducked his head again, a sheepish almost-smile breaking out on his lips, "Already taken care of…I asked your father for your hand before I took you."

"You...You did? What did he say?"

"He was…rather pleased," his eyes were shining with puzzled surprise, as if he hadn't been expecting that kind of answer from his younger brother. Persephone breathed a sigh of relief, her face glowing with excitement.

"I'm getting married," a shy giggle escaped through her lips, making Hades smile softly. He nodded, his eyes full of love for the spring goddess. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached up and placed a chaste kiss on his lips, her fingertips trailing over the smooth surface of his cheek. Hades closed his eyes, leaning into her touch.

"You…You're sure about this? I don't want to force you into anything," his voice was a soft rumble that made her feel warm all over, electric tingles rushing through her body. Persephone nodded her head determinedly, stepping back in order to look up at him.

"I'm sure, Lord Hades…I want this…I l-l-love you," she blushed, her voice growing fainter with each word uttered. Hades flushed a dark red as well, at a loss for words. He bent his head down, his lips grazing the column of her throat, skimming over the soft skin. Persephone squeaked loudly, her neck tingling with electricity and fire.

"I can assure you, the feeling is mutual," he chuckled lightly, obviously pleased by her reaction to his kiss. Persephone could feel her knees going weak from the force of his smile, feeling a bit light-headed. Hades instantly noticed her wobble and stepped even closer to her, his arm snaking around her waist to support her as she collapsed against him.

"We'll need to h-have the," Persephone flushed pink, "wedding…soon, right?"

"As soon as possible…I'm sure that Zeus has sent search teams to find you…It's only a matter of time before they realize that you are not in the aboveworld…I'm sure they'll come to the conclusion that you are here with me," he easily scooped her up into his arms, taking large strides towards the door. Persephone nodded, her throat feeling too tight for any words to come through. With a barely perceptible smirk, Hades bent down and pressed a light kiss onto her forehead.

"Waah! Lord Hades!"

The Lord of the Underworld suddenly frowned, clearly upset. Persephone wondered if she had hurt his feelings in some way…she hoped not. She enjoyed it when he kissed her, though she was equally embarrassed by it, her face always becoming a deep red that would take hours to dispel. Just as she was about to open her mouth to apologize, he cut her off.

"Persephone…We are to be married…Won't you please call me by my name only?"

Hades cocked his head to the side, his eyes growing sad. Persephone was very close to fainting, having never seen such a powerful version of the puppy-dog look. She had seen it in action with Zeus…her father used it often to escape from Hera's wrath. But it didn't even come close to the slightly pouting expression on the dark god's face. It was just a subtle tilt of the lips and a slight tip of his eyebrows…complete with large, shining dark eyes.

"H-H-Hades," she looked away, not quite able to meet his eyes. Hades' heart skipped a beat at hearing his name, without the suffix attached, tumble from her lips. His heartbeat accelerated, pounding inside his chest. He couldn't stop the smile that surged up on his face or the warm feeling that entered his heart.

Nor did he want to.

*Author's note: Sorry that this chapter is so short. I promise I'll try to make the next one a little longer. Have a great weekend, everyone, and please, if you can...Review. It makes us authors happy.


	15. Chapter 15

"Melord...please...just put it on," Charon held out the clothing once again, "It's required."

"No…I refuse," Hades glared at the offending article of fabric, turning his head away. Charon turned towards Mi and He, pleading the two servants with his eyes to help him. As it was, the two were currently busy being fascinated by the 'other Mi and He' on the other side of the mirror and were attempting to get their reflections to stop copying them. The ferryman groaned, turning back to try to get Hades into the ceremonial robes.

Hades had wasted no time in getting the wedding into motion. Charon had agreed to act as the head to join the two, the old ferryman proud of the fact that he had been chosen. Hades' servants had tended to all the decorations, with Persephone supervising to make sure nothing was amiss. Since the event was a private affair, there was no need for a guest list, though all of Hades' servants along with Cerberus, would be attending. The wedding dress had also been chosen, with the help of Hades' canine friend and the fates, who had insisted on sewing the spring goddess' dress.

Though Hades got the preparations rolling, it was Persephone who managed everything. With more dead coming in everyday, most of Hades time was spent judging souls. And whenever he wasn't in the throne room judging, he could have been found napping in the library or shadowing Persephone.

The two themselves were still quite awkward around each other though Persephone had managed to get her stuttering under control and Hades couldn't seem to keep a smile off his face. Still, every time the dark god kissed her, Persephone couldn't help the heat that took over her body. It wasn't uncomfortable…far from it. Persephone found herself melting whenever Hades' lips would touch hers. As for Hades, he was sure his heart would give out one of these days.

"Melord, please…yer going to be late te yer own ceremony," Charon pleaded, "And I'm sure the lil lady would love te see ya in ceremony robes."

Without a word, Hades took the robes from the old man's wrinkled hands, glaring fiercely. He changed quickly, running a hand through his hair in an effort to get it to lay down flat. With a last nod to the mirror, he stalked down the hall toward the throne room, Charon following obediently behind him with a smug look present on his withered face.

The throne room was decorated in red flowers…chrysanthemums, the only type of flower that would bloom in the Underworld. Persephone didn't seem to mind and had told him that she actually preferred chrysanthemums to any other type of flower. Along with the flowers, there were dozen of different types of jewels, lighting the room up in various colors. For Hades, it wouldn't have been so bad…But right at that moment, he felt slightly disoriented due to the fact that his servants were present. With their different and varied eye-opening colors, they made a sort of rainbow that was a bit difficult to look at.

Hades shook his head, shifting his gaze onto the ceiling in order to clear his mind. He didn't get much time to ponder on anything before the thumping of Cerberus' tail announced Persephone's arrival. His eyes instantly snapped toward the entrance and Hades suddenly found himself short of breath.

Persephone stood in the doorway, her lean form clad in a beautiful white silk gown. Her hair was done up into a bun with tiny white diamonds woven into it. Tendrils of golden hair hung down by her face, framing her flushed cheeks. Megaera, one of the furies, stood beside her, bloody tears running down her face and staining it a crimson color.

Hades couldn't take his eyes off her, watching as she slowly walked towards him. She stopped as she reached him, a euphoric smile on her face. A corner of his mouth lifted up in answer, his dark eyes glowing with joy. Charon coughed, mumbling an order for the god to take her hand. He did so, gently grasping her hand and squeezing it tightly in encouragement. Neither really paid much attention to the ceremony itself, their gazes stuck on each other, never wandering anywhere else. Charon's voice was like a low drone in the background.

"Aham," Charon's cough startled the two doe-eyed gods and they turned toward him, "Would the master 'nd mistress like t'say anythin' afore I officially join ya? Any declaration's or whatnot?"

"Oh! I would…l-like to say something…If that's all right," Persephone looked up at Hades timidly, smiling softly when he nodded.

"Even though we haven't known each other very long, I just wanted you to know…I really do love you," her emerald eyes shone with fondness, "These past weeks spent with you…have been wonderful. It seems so surreal, all of this…that I'm actually getting married to the man I've inexplicably fallen in love with."

"You can blame Eros, Aphrodite and the Fates for that later on if you wish," though his tone was serious, she could see the hint of a teasing smile on his features. She giggled softly, burying her face in his soft chest. She felt his chuckle rumbling through his body.

"I must admit, when I first began to…fall for you," his gaze was unfocused as he recalled the first time he'd felt his heart stirring for the goddess in his arms, "I tried to convince myself that I wasn't feeling anything at all. Mostly, I blamed it on lack of sleep and hectic work days. But as time wore on and you refused to leave my mind, I had to come to terms that I, the Lord of Underworld, had fallen in love…with the goddess of Spring and Rebirth. Persephone, I've never felt so strongly for another in all my years. I am entrusting you with my whole heart…I just ask that you take very good care of it. I'm afraid it's very fragile."

By this time, most everyone in the room had tears flowing down their faces. Cerberus loudly blew his nose on a large paw, trying, and failing, to discreetly wipe it on the carpet. The three furies bloody tears soaked the carpet, staining the part where they stood a dark crimson. The fates, who stood beside them, were attempting to get the three to stop crying, grumbling about how hard it was to wash blood off of fabric. Su and Ri stood beside the altar, bawling, their tears like waterfalls. It got so unbearable that Charon had to bonk the two on the head to get them to stop or the floor would have soon been covered with salty water.

Persephone herself had tears running down her own face, sobs shaking her lean body. Hades panicked instantly, wondering if he had said something wrong. The spring goddess instantly caught on to his mood, hurrying to reassure him.

"I'm sorry, it was just so beautiful…Don't worry, I'm all right," she held his hand tightly, "You can go on, Charon."

"Thank ye, lil lady," clearing his throat, the old man picked up where he had left off, "Now then…since nobody 'ere will oppose the joinin' o' these two…Mistress, 'ere is the ring, for the Master…"

Persephone gently slid the ring onto his finger, a thick band made of a white gold. Imprinted inside, she could see her own name written in an elegant script. They smiled at each other before turning back to the smirking Charon.

"Alright…With these here rings, ye are now bonded…until the end of time…or until either of youse die…whichever comes first. Now, Master, I suggest ya kiss 'er…Zeus knows ya want to," the ferryman chuckled as Hades sent him a reprimanding stare and Persephone flushed red. Charon mildly wondered if the goddess' cheeks were now permanently that color while fearing the reprimand he would receive later.

Before Persehpone could chicken out, she roughly pulled on the front of his robe and pressed her lips against his. He was surprised but soon responded, their kiss gentle and unhurried. They swiftly broke apart as the roar of applause washed over them. With a small smirk, Hades deftly scooped her up in his arms. He nodded towards Charon, the Fates and the Furies before making his way toward the door, pausing to give Cerberus a fond pat on each of the heads. Persephone planted a soft kiss on each of his furry heads, giggling when all three heads nuzzled them.

With a small wave from Persephone and a glare that clearly said BEHAVE from Hades, the two disappeared down the hall. All was quiet for the next few minutes.

"Well…Shall we git this party started?"

With that, the Underworld throne room was thrown into chaos, streamers and various servants thrown up into the air.

xxxxxxx

"You WHAT?"

Zeus rolled his eyes exasperatedly, eyeing his plate of food with longing, "Have you gone deaf in your madness? I said, I already gave my permission for Hades to marry Persephone, OUR daughter."

"YOU STUPID OAF!"

"Now, that's quite enough, Demeter…I will NOT have you insulting me," Zeus pouted, his arms crossed over his chest. Demeter was livid, her fists clenched tight. Hera quickly stepped in between her husband and the enraged goddess, fearing for Zeus' safety. He might have been a childish cheater…But he was still her husband and it was her duty to protect him.

"Demeter, please calm down," Hera's soothing voice seemed to pacify the goddess a little, enough that she unclenched her hands, "Now, Zeus…Tell us exactly what happened and when."

Zeus stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Let's see…Must have been a few weeks ago…Hades came in here, this crazed look in his eyes…I thought he was going to stab someone. He was pretty furious about something but he calmed down after a few seconds. He is really a master at controlling his emotions, I'll say that. Anyways, he just came out and asked if he could have Persephone's hand in marriage…And I said yes."

"Why would you do such a thing?"

Zeus frowned, glaring at Apollo, "Why not? We all know Hades is strong…not to mention wealthy. He has a very high status…and he is our brother. Sure, he can be a little…creepy, with how he always pops up without making a sound…and his glare has yet to be bested…But he is honest and just. He's also extremely responsible…sickeningly so. And I'm sure I wasn't the only one who caught the tense atmosphere between them."

Athena looked hesitant but had to agree, "Zeus is right…There was a sort of spark between the two."

"NO! I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT! MY SWEET KORE WOULD NEVER FALL FOR A MONSTER!"

"Now you're just being ignorant and rather rude," Zeus grumbled, "And you're disrupting my dinnertime."

"I WON'T LEAVE UNTIL YOU SEND SOMEONE TO RESCUE MY BEAUTIFUL ANGEL!"

"ENOUGH!"

Everyone froze in their spots as Hera's voice echoed in the large room. Zeus and Demeter backed away from each other, throwing murderous glances over their shoulders while cowering slightly from Hera's thunderous expression.

"Zeus, you're an idiot…you should have talked with Demeter first BEFORE giving her daughter away," Hera calmly stated, ignoring Zeus' whining protest of 'she wouldn't have agreed', "Demeter, you shouldn't talk that way to the ruling god and should refrain from bad mouthing Hades when he is not here to defend himself. Rest assured, we will send Hermes down in the morning to confirm if she is indeed in the Underworld."

"But…"

"IN THE MORNING," Hera hissed, her pink eyes hard with warning. Demeter looked taken aback but nodded hesitantly, clearly still upset. Zeus sat in the corner, his lips set into a pout, and a depressed aura hanging around him. He instantly brightened when Athena reminded him that he should probably eat his dinner before it got cold and Hera had to wonder how she had ended up marrying such a hopeless character.

*Author's note: Another chapter done. As warning, the next chapter might be a little...steamy for younger readers. I won't go into too much detail, as it is rated T but I will have to cover a little of their first night together. If any of you are uncomfortable with that, you can totally skip the next chapter. To all the others who will look forward to it...I will see you next Friday.


	16. Chapter 16

*Author's note: I know it's not my customary Friday update...and I apologize if it throws some of you off. But I have recently received my 30 days notice from my boss and so in 30 days, I will no longer have access to a computer. I will try to complete this story before that deadline. I hope all of you have a wonderful day.

Hades set Persephone down on the floor, smiling gently, "Your quarters, my lady."

Persephone hands trembled slightly and she clasped them together in an effort to stay calm. Hades had thought it best to still sleep in separate rooms and she hadn't found the courage to disagree. She knew what was supposed to happen on the wedding night. The nymphs constantly tittered on about it when Demeter wasn't in the general vicinity. It had terrified her before, the thought of having someone's bare skin touching her own.

But now…A burning desire had been growing within her for the past few weeks. She wanted to feel Hades' long fingers skimming over the surface of her skin and his mouth firmly set over hers. When she had first begun having these thoughts, she'd felt embarrassed. As time went on, the desire had overrun the shame and Persephone was determined to make the Lord of the Underworld her true companion in every sense of the word.

As he turned to leave, she reached out and took a hold of his robes, her face hot and her body feeling even hotter. He stopped completely, his body frozen in place and his eyes locked on her flushed face.

"Stay," Persephone whispered softly, her hand tightening around the fabric. His eyes widened and he swallowed thickly, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He watched, unmoving, as her trembling hands reached up and began undoing the clasp of his robes. Persephone tried to get her hands to stop shaking, a nervous thrill settling into the pit of her stomach. She was startled when he caught her hand, his eyes warm but pained.

"You don't have to force yourself to do this," he whispered softly, his voice seductively husky. Persephone didn't know why but that comment angered her while his tone of voice did nothing to help her current predicament.

"I'm not being forced to do anything," she declared boldly, "I want to do this…I have for a while now."

"What if I hurt you?"

His question only deepened her resolve, "You won't…I trust you."

She undid the clasp, her fingers steady and her gaze firmly holding Hades' as his robe loosened. Hades' eyes darkened and he effortlessly gathered both her wrists in his hand, holding them above her head. Persephone felt her heart stop and then restart at twice the speed.

"Once I begin, I can't guarantee that I'll be able to stop," he growled huskily, "Are you sure you want this?"

Persephone shuddered, "I'm sure…I won't tell you to stop."

She squeaked as he leaned forward, capturing her lips with his own in a soft kiss. Her surprise soon wore off and she responded just as gently, the chaste kiss unhurried. Her hands still remained trapped in his grasp as he tilted his head ever so slightly, deepening the kiss. She could still feel the reluctance on his part, the great care he was taking to keep things from getting out of control and while she found it endearing that he was trying to keep things under control, she wanted to feel the fire she was sure was hidden within him. She pressed her body against his, letting him feel the warmth of her body and nipping at his soft lips with her teeth.

He released her hands in surprise and they instantly flew up to his neck, bringing him even closer to her. Her hands tangled in his silky hair, running through the dark strands. She could feel his resolve crumbling as his hands tightened around her waist, gripping her tighter to him. Their lips moved in unison, molding to fit the other perfectly. A sense of satisfaction overcame her when she heard a soft growl emit from his throat. She gasped when he licked her bottom lip, giving him an opening to deftly slip his tongue into her mouth. He had soon coaxed her into a 'battle', her tongue timidly wrapping around his in an effort to win. They broke for air, their breathing erratic. His lips found their way to her neck and she tilted her head to give him better access as he left flitting butterfly kisses on the sensitive skin.

Persephone shivered in desire as she felt his hand fidget with the buttons on the back of her dress, slowly popping them out of their holes, one by one. Hades gently guided her forward until her knees bumped against the corner of the bed. With a small squeal of surprise, she collapsed onto the bed, Hades hovering above her. His eyes had darkened into a blazing onyx, their dark depths pulling her in and making the already unbearable heat within her spike to a raging inferno. The dress had slipped down, exposing her collarbone and Hades bent his head to it, his lips skimming over the smooth surface.

A breathy moan escaped her lips as his breath hit her skin and he answered with a soft growl, nipping at her neck with quick bites. Her back arched when he hit her soft spot, another moan slipping past her lips. His fingers ghosted over her skin, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Her hands rushed upward, finding the other clasp that held his robe together. With a vicious tug it came undone and the god's whole torso was exposed to her.

She only took a moment to admire the way his muscles moved underneath his skin before her fingers were exploring the ivory surface, finally able to feel it under her fingertips as she had wanted to the day she had walked in on his towel-clad form. His pale skin seemed to glow silver in the low light of the room.

He shivered under her touch, his lips returning back to hers for a breathtaking kiss. His fingers trailed from her cheeks to her collarbone and continued further down over the fabric of the dress. Persephone squirmed under his touch, her clothing feeling constricting against her fevered skin. He shifted above her, his hands gripping the dress lightly. With a small tug of his hand, the dress slipped off, leaving her bare before him. She experienced a moment of shyness as his eyes raked over her figure and she moved to cover herself.

"Don't," his low voice was a breathy whisper, "You're beautiful."

Persephone felt her cheeks grow warm and tears sting her eyes. A strong jolt of electricity pushed its way through her system as his hands mapped out her body, gentle and light in their explorations. His body lowered and settled above her, strong and reassuring. His bare skin rubbed against hers, setting off flashes of heat within her core.

"Hades," he paused when she called his name, his dark eyes worried, "I just want to tell you that…I love you."

His eyes softened, still that seductive onyx black but now with bits of silver interlaced, "I love you too…and I promise I'll do everything in my power to keep you by my side."

With those words, the two surrendered to their desires, words discarded and actions of love taking their place.

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"Do I have to go down there? Can't you send someone else?"

Hermes wiped a bead of sweat of his brow, his icy blue eyes scanning the parchment he held in his hands. Hera stood before him, an irritated frown marring her delicate features. The small god paid her no mind, absently running a hand through his short blonde hair.

"Hermes you know Hades doesn't allow anyone but you to come and go as they please," Hera said through gritted teeth, "You're the only one who can confirm if Persephone is indeed down there or not."

"But I hate going down there," Hermes whined, tearing his eyes away from the document to look up at Hera, "It's so dreary and depressing…And Hades always keeps that huge dog out there by his gate. That beast always tries to take a nip at me when I fly by."

A vein popped out on Hera's forehead and she reached forward, grabbing the 4'2" god and giving him a well-deserved noogie, "You're going to go down there! YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Waaahhhh! Okay Okay! Stop it, it hurts!"

His childish face ran with tears and he flailed around, trying to escape Hera's death grip, "Do I have your word as a god?"

"Yes! Yes! Cross my heart!"

With a huff, the head goddess let him go, looking quite pleased with herself, "Good. I expect you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed early tomorrow morning."

A sharp glance from Hera cut off Hermes' grumbling, "Yeah…Okay, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed!"

"This is important Hermes…Even the gods are starting to suffer," Hera looked out toward the horizon, her pink eyes anxious. Hermes instantly sobered, nodding in agreement but still a bit sulky after the painful noogie.

"Well…Until tomorrow, Hermes," Hera waved at the tiny god, wearily making her way towards the upper levels of Olympus. Hermes waved unenthusiastically back before flying off to another errand. A flash of white drew Hera's attention to the corner and she was surprised to see Zeus leaning against the wall outside of Hermes' work room.

"Zeus?"

The god blinked, a sheepish smile breaking out on his tanned face, "Hera…Sorry, love. I figured you would be tired after all the fiasco of this evening so I thought we could walk together to our room."

Hera shook her head exasperatedly but couldn't help the tender smile from rising up in her face, "A walk would be much appreciated."

He offered his arm to her and she took it, leaning into his strong warmth. They walked in comforting silence for a few minutes, just glad for the other's company. It was times like these that Hera was reminded of why she had married him.

"So, how did it go with Hermes?"

"He agreed to go…He would have had to go one way or another, he's the only one that can," Hera murmured softly, weariness clawing its way into her limbs, the weight of the day finally settling in. Zeus nodded slowly, his expression distant.

"And were you able to get any leads with Hephaestus?"

Zeus snapped out of his trance, shrugging tiredly, "Sort of…Hephaestus did mention having polished a ruby last week that Hades sent to him…along with a ton of other gems. But he said the ruby was different. Hades asked him to be especially careful with it and to polish it well. I think he might have used the stone to create something for Persephone…But he didn't remember making any wedding bands."

"Do you think Hades crafted one himself so he wouldn't arouse suspicion?"

Zeus shrugged again, "Anything's possible. He wanted me to keep the union a secret from Demeter…We can see why, the woman has gone off the deep end. But it would be extremely difficult for him to craft a female union band…they're very intricate…though Hades has always been fiercely determined once he put his mind to something."

"Yes…I just can't imagine it though. Hades…in love with Persephone? They just…they just don't seem to match," Hera sighed in exhausted relief as their suite came into view and then squeaked in surprise as Zeus scooped her up into his arms with a hearty laugh.

"They do seem to be rather oddly matched, don't they? But I've once heard that opposites attract…and what better opposites than the Goddess of Spring marrying the God of the Dead?"


	17. Chapter 17

"Where is he?"

Zeus was very close to throttling Demeter, his jaw tight and his blue eyes stormy. Hera also looked annoyed, trying to ignore the whining goddess beside her. Demeter huffed when neither god responded to her question and went back to tapping her foot impatiently. The three gods stood at the entrance to the Underworld, both impatience and annoyance clear in their sharp features.

The flutter of wings broke the tense silence, announcing the Messenger God's arrival. As soon as his feet touched the floor, Demeter stood over him, pestering him on what took him so long.

Hermes huffed, puffing out his dimpled cheeks, "Unlike some goddesses who think they can neglect their work, I unfortunately have a million things that need to be done by a certain time in order to keep things running."

Demeter looked livid, her pudgy face turning an interesting blotchy red. Her face then became a livid purple when the child-like god stuck his tongue out at her. Hera put a calming hand on the woman's shoulder, shooting a sharp glance in the small god's direction. Zeus attempted to stifle a chuckle, sharing a conspirator smirk with the messenger god.

"Hermes, we will wait for the news here…It's best to take this matter directly up with Hades. If Persephone is indeed down there…Well, regardless, report back to us first," Hera shifted uncomfortably, ignoring Demeter's angry protest to get her daughter out immediately.

"As you wish," with a salute to Zeus and a grimace in Demeter's direction, the god sped into the entrance of the Underworld, uncertain of what he'd find in the dark palace.

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Hades slowly woke up, feeling a bit exhausted but rather satisfied and happier than he had in a long time. Persephone lay sprawled on top of him, her legs tangled intimately with his. Her warm bare skin rubbed against his when she breathed and reminded him that last night did in fact happen. He wasn't sure if he had done it right, having never bedded a woman before…but he remembered that Persephone likewise was as inexperienced as himself. Last night had been tentative, neither knowing what to do exactly but trusting that the other wouldn't harm them. The first time had been a bit clumsy but they had soon found a pattern that fit them. He had seriously never expected the shy young goddess to be so…BOLD.

As if sensing he was awake, the goddess in his arms stirred and slowly blinked her eyes open. A large smile emerged on her face as she caught his tender gaze and she stretched languidly, making him shift uncomfortably beneath her as she aroused the feelings of the night before with that small movement.

"Good morning," she giggled and he was sure she had done it on purpose, mischief shining in her emerald gaze. With a smirk, he flipped her over so that he was now on top and kissed her soundly.

"Morning," he breathed in the scent of her hair, burying his face in it. Another giggle escaped her as his fingers roamed over her body and a tickle fight ensued soon after. Their laughter soon echoed through the room, his a soft rumbling chuckle and hers a high tinkling chime. Both were panting heavily when Persephone finally called a truce. She snuggled closer into his embrace, her cheek resting on his pale chest and her fingers drawing unknown patterns on his skin. His steady heartbeat drummed against her ear, strong and reassuring. Her eyes raked over his bare body, awed by the perfection he hid under his heavy robe. As she appraised him, something caught her eye.

In her lust-induced haze yesterday, she had not noticed the large scar running on his pale skin, beginning at his right shoulder and only ending at his left hip. He followed her stare and his mood suddenly dampened. He turned his head to the side, his eyes looking away in embarrassment.

"What is this?"

There was no revulsion in her voice, only curiosity, her fingers tracing the barely perceptible, thick white line. He fiddled with her long blonde hair for a bit before sighing.

"You've heard of Kronos, I presume?"

"Yeah…He was my grandfather. My father defeated him and took over Mount Olympus. Mom said the gods cut him up into pieces and threw him into Tartarus," she recited, trying to remember everything she could about the cruel Titan.

"That's right…You've probably also heard that Kronos ate every child he fathered in fear that one of them would grow and overthrow him," he chuckled bitterly, "Which was what ended up happening."

"Wait…You mean…You were eaten?"

"Me along with many of the others…He swallowed us whole and, since we are immortal, we resided in his stomach for a while. Unfortunately, when he was stuffing me into his mouth, one of his teeth ripped into my skin…It healed quickly but the scar has remained," he ran a finger down the white line, his eyes distant. He was snapped out of his trance when Persephone bent down and began placing feathery kisses on the surface of his scar, her lips gentle as if he would break if she put too much pressure.

"It must have been horrible," she whispered against the skin of his stomach, her breath washing over him. He shuddered, resisting the insane urge to pin her to the bed. She caught his dark gaze and smirked suggestively, quickly moving herself so she was straddling him. He swallowed thickly, his senses going into hyper drive. She leaned down until their bodies were wholly touching and began whispering soft comforting murmurs in his ear, the words not really registering in his hazy mind.

"LORDY-LORD! MISTRESS!"

The reaction was immediate. Persephone squeaked in embarrassment, her face instantly becoming a fearsome red. Hades was quick to pull the blanked over her bare frame along with his own.

"LORDY-LORD AND MISTRESS! WE…oh…uh," Su and Ri bit their lips and shuffled their feet, conscious of the fact that they had interrupted something VERY important.

"You better have a good reason to come barging in here WITHOUT KNOCKING," Hades voice was a frightening whisper that had the two servants cowering on the floor, raising their hands up in forgiveness.

"WE SORRY, MASTER," both began bawling at the same time, large tears running down their scaly faces, "BUT BIRDIE MAN IS HERE TO SEE MASTER!"

"Birdie Man?"

Hades nodded, "Hermes…It seems they've found us earlier than I anticipated. Su, Ri, go to my room and fetch me some clothing."

The two were quick to do their master's bidding, bickering over who would have the honor of carrying the robes back to their lord. Persephone sat frozen in shock, her green eyes wide with fear.

"So soon?"

"Don't worry, love," he whispered softly, stroking her face, "I will not let them take you away…Not without a fight."

Persephone nodded, burying her face in the crook of his neck and inhaling his calming scent. He began humming softly, running his fingers through her curly hair. Su and Ri were soon back with Hades's clothes and he quickly got dressed, prompting Persephone to do the same. They walked in silence toward the throne room, their hands intertwined.

"Wait here," he stared at her intensely for a few minutes, as if memorizing her features before stalking into the room. She obediently waited in the shadows, her eyes following his every move.

Hermes instantly caught sight of the dark god and his cheeks dimpled as a happy smile emerged on his childish face. Out of all the gods, Hermes looked the youngest, his appearance resembling a human child of 8 or 9. Which made it that much easier for the little runt to pick someone's pockets…No one would suspect a darling little child to be the master of thieves.

"UNCLE!"

Hades managed to keep his footing as the tiny god flew right into him, gripping his waist tightly. He lightly patted the god's golden head affectionately, amused by his enthusiasm.

"You wouldn't believe what I've had to go through, Uncle," he shifted slightly so he was looking up at his tall relative, "First, Hera gives me a noogie and says I have to come down here when I have about a million packages to deliver. Then Demeter goes all Hydra on me and almost bites my head off when she isn't even doing her job! And then your dog almost ate me whole!"

Hades couldn't help chuckling at his nephew's exuberance though the mention of Demeter's name worried him, "And what is it you need, nephew?"

"Oh! Right! Demeter is absolutely certain that Persephone is down here with you so Hera sent me down to check! She isn't here, is she?"

"No," Hades smirked, setting the shorter god down on his feet. Hermes smiled, nodding his head.

"I told Demeter she wasn't in the Underworld…"

"I didn't say she wasn't in the UNDERWORLD…I said she wasn't HERE," Hades brushed past the messenger god to sit on his throne, his dark blue eyes twinkling with mischief.

"WHAT? SO YOU DID TAKE HER? HOW COULD YOU, UNCLE? WHERE ARE YOU KEEPING HER LOCKED UP? HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL?"

"He's not keeping me locked up, cousin," Persephone giggled, stepping out of the shadows and into the throne room, "I've been down here for the past couple of weeks of my own accord."

Hermes looked shocked, his mouth hanging open. Su and Ri were tittering beside Persephone's feet, pointing at the god's open mouth as if it was the funniest thing they had ever seen. The giggling seemed to snap him out of his shock and he ran a hand through his golden hair, his icy blue eyes, darting from one god to the other.

"Oh, dear…Demeter is not going to like this…Not one little bit," he mumbled before he was sent for another loop when Persephone's ring flashed in the light.

"That isn't what I think it is? Please tell me it's not what I think it is!"

"Sorry, cousin," Persephone held up her hand after she saw where his gaze had landed, "We were joined yesterday afternoon."

"But…But…Then…is it true? Uncle…You're in love with Persephone?"

Hermes caught the faintest hint of a blush as Hades nodded. Hermes turned toward Persephone and caught the love-struck look in her green gaze, sighing happily as he realized that his cousin had been a willing participant in the ceremony. Then his mood instantly soured.

"Demeter is going to kill you," Hermes declared, turning to look at Hades. The dark god raised a dark eyebrow but didn't comment.

"Actually…she's going to kill me when I tell her," Hermes groaned, flying around in agitation and nearly knocking Persephone over.

"Peace, cousin," the goddess commanded, her voice full of authority, "If it pleases Lord Hades, bring them down here and we will talk to them."

Both of the younger gods turned towards him, waiting for his response.

He sighed, "I'm sure it won't be pleasant but…if that is your wish, so be it."

Hermes quickly fluttered out, leaving the two gods alone, and managed to make it to the surface in record time. Demeter was instantly upon him, firing question after question.

"Let Hermes breathe," Zeus grumbled, his hands clenched into fists. Demeter's mouth clicked shut and she backed off instantly, warily glancing at Zeus. Hermes was puzzled for a few minutes but then he saw why Demeter was being so obedient. Near the entrance, where Demeter had stood before, was a circle of ashy rocks, charred and obviously from a lighting strike.

"So…?"

Hermes took a deep breath, "…Persephone is indeed down there."

Zeus and Hera's mouths dropped open and Demeter began cursing colorfully, her face instantly becoming an angry shade of red. Hermes winced as she continued to spout profanities, mostly about the Dark God of the Underworld.

"Is she all right?"

Hermes turned towards Hera, biting his lip, "Yeah…I'd say she's all right…"

"You'd say?"

"Well, uh, I'm not sure Demeter is going to like this next part," Hermes glanced at the fuming woman, thinking she looked like a volcano about ready to erupt.

"Has he harmed my daughter?"

"Oh, oh, no! Persephone is fine! She's in excellent health," he stammered quickly, "…It's just…Well, Hades' invited you to go down so you can talk about the situation…"

"What situation, Hermes?"

Both Hera and Zeus ignored Demeter's huff of how she wouldn't ever step foot in the Underworld and that Hades had probably set up a trap. Hermes swallowed thickly, his mouth feeling unnaturally dry.

"You see…Well…Ugh, okay…Hades and Persephone got married…yesterday," the god held his breath, waiting to see Demeter's reaction. The goddess first turned red, then purple before she paled and collapsed on the floor. Zeus and Hera stood shocked, blinking rapidly. A silly, triumphant grin emerged on Zeus's face and Hera slapped his shoulder in reprimand when she noticed Demeter stirring. The portly goddess took one look at Hermes, her dark green eyes furious.

"Get her out…NOW," she hissed, the ground rumbling beneath them. Hera now looked uncomfortable and Zeus looked about ready to send a lightning bolt to land on his sister's head.

"Demeter, you must understand…They are now joined in matrimony. It is an everlasting bond between the two," Hera flicked a strand of her hair away, fiddling with her fingers agitatedly.

"I…don't…care. Get her out NOW…Or I'll make sure that nothing…ABSOLUTELY NOTHING will grow," her eyes had grown hard, a crazed light flashing in their murky green depths. Hera turned to Zeus, a pleading look in her soft eyes. Zeus's shoulders slumped in defeat and he gave his wife a despairing look before nodding.

"I will go down with Hermes and speak with him," Zeus's voice sounded hollow, his sky-blue eyes darkening with sadness from what he was about to do.

Hermes floated dejectedly in front of the god, certain that this piece of news would probably shatter the hearts of the two people he cared about the most.

*Author's note: This chapter made me kind of sad toward the end...Don't know why. I've never really liked Demeter. We are now nearing the end...Thank you to all those who have constantly reviewed...It is wonderful to hear from all of you. It helps keep me motivated and helps the ideas flow. Have a great weekend.


	18. Chapter 18

"I don't like this...not at all," Hades sighed deeply, a worried frown twisting his lips. Persephone nodded, moving to sit in her husband's lap. She leaned back against his chest, her green eyes anxious.

"What do you think is taking them so long?"

"I…I don't know," Hades mumbled quietly, propping his chin on top of Persephone's head, "But I feel uneasy."

"You…You don't think that they'll try to take me back, regardless of whether we're married or not, do you?"

"Your mother is very…stubborn. I don't doubt that she'll try. We are married but…that does not mean that we have to live together," the words left a bitter taste in his mouth and made Persephone nervous.

"Is there any other way we can guarantee that I'll get to stay?"

Persephone shifted so that she was looking up at him, her green eyes pleading. Hades bent down and brushed a soft kiss on her lips, trying to reassure her. His mind whirled, struggling to come up with a plan but his fear of losing Persephone made it hard to think.

As well as the loud chomping sound coming from his two servants.

"Su, Ri…How can I think with you two making so much noise?"

The two goblins shrank back, their ears drooping, "Sorry, Master…But Su and Ri worried for Mistress…"

"Well then, chew a little quieter," he hissed, fixing them with a stern glare. They nodded quickly, taking smaller bites of the ripe red pomegranate they held. Persephone blinked a few times, an idea forming in her mind.

"Hades…You said that if I ate any food from the Underworld I would have to stay down here, right?"

He nodded slowly, confusion evident on his face. Persephone hopped from his lap and kneeled down beside Su, who held the fruit in her hands.

"Su, could I please have a few of the seeds?"

At once, Hades realized what she was doing, "No…I can't allow you to do that. If you eat anything from here, you won't be able to return to your world ever."

"I don't care!"

Hades was shocked into silence, his dark blue eyes wide. Su stood not knowing what to do, four pomegranate seeds clutched tightly in its clawed hand. Persephone tried to stop the tears from escaping her eyes but it was no use.

"I…I don't c-care," a sob broke through, "I love you, Hades. I won't be separated from you…Not by my mother, not by anyone."

Hades was suddenly at her side, scooping her up into his arms, his face buried in the crook of her neck. She cried into his chest, her tears soaking the fabric of his cloak. He gently tilted her face up until she was looking up at him, her eyes red-rimmed.

"If you're sure about this," he tenderly wiped her tears away, his touch instantly soothing her. She nodded before standing on her tip-toes to place a delicate kiss on his lips. He instantly responded to her touch, bringing her closer to him and tilting his head to deepen the kiss, desperate for her touch as she was for his. She followed his example and soon their mouths were moving in rhythm, resembling a well rehearsed dance. His hands roamed over her skin, leaving a burning trail of heat. They broke away from each other but stayed where they were, their bodies pressed tightly together.

"Mistress?"

Both looked down at the little blue goblin holding out the small red seeds. With a tearful smile, Persephone bent down and scooped them up, offering Su a soft thank you.

"Mistress better hurry…Birdie Man coming back with Lightning Lord," Ri declared after taking in a deep sniff of the air. With a last watery smile in Hades' direction, she popped the seeds into her mouth, chewing a bit before swallowing them. Hades stood silent, hope and regret warring in his expressive eyes. She met his gaze and placed another breathtaking kiss on his lips, just as the doors to the throne room slammed open.

"Persephone!"

The goddess flushed dark red, breaking apart from Hades to look over at her father. Zeus looked surprised but oddly pleased, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"So…Hermes was telling the truth," the small god beside him huffed irritably, "You two are joined in matrimony."

"That's right, father," Persephone made no move to disentangle herself from the Lord of the Underworld, her voice defensive. Zeus laughed heartily, a great rumbling sound that seemed to shake the very foundation of the castle.

"Well as your father, I give you my heartfelt congratulations," his smile dimmed slightly, "But as your ruler, you've just made my life a bit more complicated. Your mother has sworn not to let anything grow until you are returned…regardless of your marital status. I'm afraid I have to take you back, child."

Persephone's eyes hardened and she could feel Hades tense beside her, his eyes darkening to a coal black, a spark of anger igniting in their endless depths.

"And I'm afraid that it will be impossible…You see, I have partaken of food from the Underworld. By the ancient laws, I now cannot leave," she declared boldly, looking every bit the queen of the Underworld. Zeus and Hermes looked startled, their eyes widening with surprise. Hermes was the first to come out of the trance, a devilish smirk twisting his face. Zeus didn't know whether to be mortified or proud, though he was leaning more towards the latter.

"That does create more of a problem," Zeus grinned impishly, his sky blue eyes sparkling with mischief. Persephone grinned back, her expression almost sinister.

"I believe its time for me to speak with my mother-in-law," Hades mused, "Wouldn't you say, love?"

Persephone took a step away from him, tangling her hand with his, "Shall we?"

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Demeter paced in agitated circles, muttering under her breath. Hera was this close from giving her sister a stern talking to. The head goddess had felt pity when her sister had first come to them and reported her daughter missing but as time went on and Demeter began taking it out on everyone, the pity had shriveled and irritation took its place.

"Would you please stop that? They will be here soon enough," she snapped at the portly goddess, rubbing her temples in an attempt to relive the pounding headache that had formed.

"I will only rest when my Kore is safely returned and away from that thieving, lying, kidnapping…"

Demeter was cut off as Hera stood up abruptly, her pink eyes flashing with warning, "I would like to remind you sister, that the thieving, lying, kidnapping god you are insulting took care of us when we were imprisoned in our father's stomach. If not for him, we probably wouldn't have survived with our sanities intact. Or have you forgotten that small detail?"

Demeter shuddered from the cold chill of Hera's voice, wisely keeping her mouth shut. The heavy silence was broken by the murmur of voices and both goddesses turned towards the cavernous entrance.

Zeus and Hermes were the first to emerge, both grinning wildly. Behind them stood a couple, both so tightly interwoven that Hera couldn't even begin to guess where one ended and the other began.

"KORE!"

Demeter lurched forward but stood just outside of the cavern, an insane anger flaring in her dark green eyes. She glared venomously at Hades to which Hades just raised one black eyebrow in response, seemingly amused by her display.

"Hello, mother," the goddess made no move forward, instead pressing herself closer to the Lord of the Underworld.

"KORE, COME HERE NOW," Demeter growled, turning to glare at her offspring. Persephone's emerald green eyes hardened and she shook her head stubbornly, tightening her hold on Hades.

"I'm afraid she can't Demeter," Zeus struggled to stifle his chuckle, "You see, she has eaten food from the Underworld."

Demeter paled before turning red with fury, "IT WAS YOU, WASN'T IT? YOU FORCED MY INNOCENT DAUGHTER TO WED YOU AND THEN PARTAKE OF YOUR DISGUSTING SLOPS!"

The air around them grew frigid and Hades' eyes sparked with fury. Persephone looked just as angry as her husband, her fists tightly clenched by her sides. Hermes looked about ready to take a jab at the chubby goddess himself.

"He didn't FORCE me to do anything…I wanted to marry him…I was the one who said yes to his marriage proposal, I was the one who asked him to stay in my chambers last night, and I was the one who chose to partake of the pomegranate seeds!"

Demeter turned white as a sheet, "Stay in your c-chambers?"

"That's right, mother," Persephone was so furious, she didn't even blush, "I am no longer a pure maiden."

Demeter fainted on the spot, her body crashing to the floor. Zeus was trying his hardest not to look baffled and Hermes was flushed a deep pink, from his curly blonde head to his sandaled feet. Hera gently slapped Demeter awake, struggling to maintain the blush from her own cheeks.

"Well," Zeus cleared his throat awkwardly, "It seems we are at a standstill. Plants won't grow as long as Persephone is down there…but she cannot leave since she ate of Underworld food and has been joined to the Lord of the Underworld."

"How about a compromise?"

Hades, Persephone and Demeter turned toward Hera, their gazes curious, "Persephone, you said you ate pomegranate seeds?"

"That's right, Lady Hera…four of them," the young goddess snuggled deeper into Hades' chest, much to her mother's dismay.

"Well, how about this? For half of the year, you will stay with your husband…for the other half, you live with your mother…Does that sound fair to everyone?"

Persephone looked up into her husband's dark gaze, not really happy with the arrangement. He didn't look pleased with it either and Demeter looked uncertain.

Zeus caught their shared gazes, "Look, this is the best we can come up with. Hades, you want Persephone to stay with you…But Demeter also won't relinquish her hold on her daughter. What better way than to split Persephone's time in half?"

Hades shoulders visibly slumped and he sighed, "You're right…for once."

"HEY!"

"Fine…I also agree," Demeter grumbled, already getting over her shock that her only daughter was no longer a virgin. Persephone bit her lip but nodded in agreement, tears stinging her eyes.

"Come, Persephone," Demeter held out her chubby hand toward her daughter, warily eyeing the god next to the goddess. Hades paled, his throat feeling dry.

"Already?"

"I'm afraid we need things to start growing again," Hera replied softly, wincing when she met Hades' grieving eyes. Persephone nodded morosely, fiddling with the ring around her finger before turning toward Hades.

"I will be back soon, I promise," she said softly, her green eyes filling with tears. Hades gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, nodding slowly. She rose up on her tiptoes, planting a desperate kiss onto his lips. He held her to him, trying to reassure himself and her that they would see each other again. They broke apart hesitantly, Persephone on the verge of tears and Hades looking as if he had just lost his soul.

With a final peck on his pale cheek, Persephone moved away toward her mother. Demeter firmly took her daughter's hand and pulled her into a tight embrace, tears rolling down her round face.

"Let's go home," she declared with a sort of finality, tugging on Persephone's hand. Zeus and Hera both gave the young goddess sympathetic smiles and Hermes' lower lip was trembling dangerously.

Persephone took one last glance behind her, mouthing the words 'I love you' to the towering form in the entrance. She could see a sad smile tug at his lips before he mouthed back 'I love you too'.

Then she blinked and he was gone.

*Author's note: I believe we only have one more chapter to go. We can't necessarily end this on a dreary note. A special thanks to Madame Thome who never fails to leave inspiring reviews for each and every chapter. And thanks to all my other reviewers who leave such kind words.


	19. Chapter 19

"Lordy-Lord! The rooms are all cleany-squeak! All ready for Queenie!"

Hades nodded, excitement bubbling up in his chest. After 6 grueling months, Persephone was finally coming back. He couldn't stop the grin that emerged on his face. The servants had been equally anxious to see their Queen again, tripping over themselves in their hurry to make sure everything was sparkling for Persephone's return. Cerberus had been given a bath, the rooms had been dusted, and even Charon had dressed up for the occasion.

As for Hades himself, he couldn't sit still, floating from room to room in anxious excitement.

That's not to say the dark god had gone 6 months without seeing Persephone. After two days without her presence, he had taken his three-headed dog's advice and gone to see her. '_Just because she can't be down here,'_ the dog had gloated, '_Doesn't mean you can't go SEE her.'_

Of course, he had disguised himself so as not to arouse Demeter's suspicion. Neither the nymphs nor Demeter would have guessed that the large black wolf that Persephone found wounded while walking in the woods was the Lord of the Underworld, unlike Persephone who had, to his surprise, recognized him right away.

It had been easy to convince Artemis to help them, claiming that the wolf was hers and since Persephone helped it 'heal', it was now a present for the spring goddess. Demeter had been quick to take up the offer, happy to see her usually depressed daughter laughing again like old times.

And that's not mentioning the times he went to visit her at NIGHT. It was fairly simple for him to slip on his helm and blend with the shadows, wait until Demeter fell asleep and then appear to his wife. They never went too far for fear of Demeter awakening though sometimes the goddess would get out of bed anyway to check on her daughter and he'd have to quickly slip the helm on, leaving Persephone to explain why, once again, she was flushed and panting for breath.

He shook his head, trying to ignore the pulsing heat clawing through him and stalked towards the throne room to make sure that all was ready for the return of his queen.

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Persephone tapped her foot impatiently, "Come on, Mom."

"I'm going," Demeter trudged unenthusiastically to the front of the house, a petulant frown staining her features. She looked as if she were on her way to face all three of the furies and her father's long winded speeches at the same time.

Persephone sighed wearily, "Mother, stop that. You agreed to this, remember? Six months with you and six months with my husband."

Demeter flinched as if she'd just been slapped, "I will never get used to you calling HIM husband…You could stay, you know. He probably doesn't even miss you."

"You're wrong, mother," her light green eyes glittered coldly, "He does miss me. And I miss him. You might not be able to understand it, but I love him."

Demeter looked disgruntled but the hard look in her eyes softened, "You're right, I don't understand it…But I'll respect the agreement."

"Thank you. That's all I ask for," she smiled brightly, fluttering ahead, the familiar butterflies in her stomach coming to life whenever anything concerning the Lord of the Underworld came up. A golden carriage with four gleaming white stallions stood at the ready, Apollo holding the reins loosely.

"Hey beautiful! Ready to go meet that scary husband of yours?"

Persephone laughed, nodding enthusiastically and climbing in beside the tanned god. Demeter hesitated a bit before scooting in beside her daughter, holding the railing tightly.

"Don't worry, dollface, I won't let you fall," Apollo laughed warmly, catching sight of Demeter's death hold. She glared back coldly, her grip only tightening.

"Sure, last time you said that, I ended up having to tread water for almost half a day after you took a sharp turn and I fell into the ocean!"

"That was ages ago!"

"It was last month!"

"Like I said, ages ago! You know, you should really let the past go!"

Persephone tuned out their bickering, turning to watch the scenery flash by. She waved at a few giggling tree nymphs as they passed a large forest and laughed when a hippocampus did an outstanding back flip out of the water as they passed the ocean. Her excitement, as did her desire to see her husband, grew as she noticed that the trees were beginning to thin out and she caught a glimpse of the large cavernous entrance to the Underworld.

She recalled the last time that she had seen her husband, his cobalt eyes dancing with mischief as he galloped along beside her with his ebony fur ruffled in the wind. She had to admit, when he had first shown up disguised as a wolf, she had been startled. But she had known right away that it was him…His eyes gave him away, deep midnight blue orbs shining with intelligent light. No normal wolf could have eyes that deep or so full of undeterred adoration.

It hadn't been too hard to convince her mother to let her keep him as a 'pet', though her mother refused to allow the wolf inside the house. That didn't stop him from paying her a few nightly visits in which he would show the spring goddess just how much he had improved in seducing her senseless. She had been awed by the control that he had over himself and by how much she craved his attention, which he seemed more than happy to give her. Oftentimes during these visits, they would just sit in companionable silence, his arms wrapped protectively around her as she dozed in his warmth. And other times, he'd nearly drive her over the edge with his soft hands and passionate kisses. Her muscles all seemed to tense as she recalled just how suave he could be. She snapped back to the present when Apollo tugged at the reins sharply, slowing the horses down considerably and making Demeter lose her footing and bang her head on his elbow. The sunny god pointedly ignored Demeter's insults and turned to give a bright smile to Persephone.

"Looky there! If it isn't my brooding uncle!"

Persephone almost fell out of the carriage as she leaned out, a euphoric smile breaking out on her face as she saw Hades' towering form, ignoring her mom who was currently cursing the musical god thoroughly.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Hades was definitely going to break his 'no violence' streak and punch his brother in the nose. Zeus had been babbling nonstop for the last hour and Hades wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"There they are! Oh, I bet you're just brimming with excitement! Don't worry, I'll make sure no one bothers you," Zeus waggled his eyebrows up and down suggestively then laughed boisterously at his own humor. Hades ignored him and focused on Persephone's smiling face, feeling his anger ebb.

"Yo, uncle! Hey, Dad! Whoah, watch it!"

Hades chuckled as Persephone, in her haste to get out of the carriage, ran over Apollo and threw herself at him. He barely had time to reach his arms out to catch her as she collapsed into him, her light green eyes shining.

"Hades!"

"I've missed you too," his rumbling chuckle caused her to flush instantly. He planted a light kiss on her forehead, breathing in her flowery scent. Apparently not satisfied with the small gesture, she tugged his face down towards hers until their lips met. They broke apart breathlessly, their cheeks flushed.

"Couldn't you, like, wait until we were gone?"

Hades glared at Apollo, "Couldn't you turn away just as easily?"

"Touché," Apollo grinned brightly, putting his arms behind his head. Demeter looked like she wanted to puke and Zeus' eyes were twinkling as he tried not to laugh. Hesitantly, Persephone disentangled herself from her husband and padded over to her mother, whispering a soft goodbye to the goddess. Demeter began crying again and her nose had started to run.

"That's disgusting," Apollo wrinkled his nose, "Do you want a tissue or something?"

He was answered by a smack on the head that sent him flying forward face-first into the ground. He glared at Demeter, mumbling curses and insults about emotional women. Zeus was laughing so hard, he had tears in his eyes. Persephone planted a soft kiss onto her father's cheek after he had calmed enough and gave a grateful hug to her cousin.

"Shall we go?"

Persephone nodded happily, flitting back to her husband's side. He tilted his head in farewell, taking Persephone's small hand in his larger one and slipped quietly into the entrance of the underworld. They were instantly bombarded by two knee-high goblins, nearly tripping over the two servants as they appeared out of the shadows.

"Mistress! Mistress!"

Persephone laughed as she watched Su and Ri dance around her, their eyes glowing eerily in the darkness of the cave, "Su! Ri! Oh, how I've missed you!"

That only spurned them into doing an enthusiastic impromptu dance which ended when they ran into each other. Hades rolled his eyes beside her and she couldn't help laughing, happiness overflowing her heart at being back.

A thunderous woof welcomed them as they reached the gate and Persephone ran forward ahead of Hades, throwing her arms around Cerberus' giant paw, the only thing she could really reach. He barked with joy, his large tail whooshing through the air and knocking out one of the furies who had been flying about. After checking to see that Meagara was all right, Persephone made sure to pet each of Cerberus' heads a sufficient amount of time before setting off with Hades once again.

"Lil' lady! Ain't you a sight fer sore eyes?"

"Charon! It's good to see you again! And my, don't you look handsome!"

The old ferryman puffed up with pride, "Tis me best suit. I wored it just for this occasion."

She laughed and leaned back against Hades, loving the feel of his arms wrapped tightly around her. His breath tickled the nape of her neck, raising goosebumps on her arms. She bit her lip to keep a moan from escaping when his lips grazed her neck and she could feel his smirk as she fidgeted in his grip. She struggled to focus on Charon as he told her about all that had happened in her absence while Hades continued placing delicate kisses on her skin.

The boat lurched as it came onshore and Hades helped her down. She promised Charon that she would come back soon so they could talk again.

"I have something I want to show you," Hades whispered beside her, his azure eyes bubbling with excitement. She happily followed after him, their hands interwoven. He led her to the throne room and smiled when her eyes widened as she caught sight of his surprise.

A throne, this one smaller and more delicate, sat regally beside his. It was made of the same stone that his was, a deep onyx black, but instead of the encrusted rubies, green metal twisted to make long vines wrapping around it and different colored gems were crafted to look like flowers hanging off the vines.

"It's beautiful," she whispered, running a hand over the surprisingly warm stone, "Thank you."

Hades looked pleased by her reaction, his cobalt eyes twinkling happily. She gingerly sat down before relaxing completely, a giggle escaping her pink lips. She was surprised when the indigo-eyed god took her hand once again and pulled her up.

"There's one more thing," an impish smile surfaced on his face as he led her out of the throne room and deeper into the castle, the halls unfamiliar to her in this part of the building. They stopped at a large door, designed intricately with flowers and all kinds of wildlife. She looked up at him in confusion and he nodded her forward, encouraging her to open the door.

With shaking hands, Persephone slowly pushed open the door and her breath caught in her throat as she glimpsed the room inside. The room had bright green grass growing in every corner with a large pomegranate tree in the middle. Chrysanthemums of varied colors dotted the small clearing. A large chandelier hung over the landscape, fashioned into a large crystal ball. It shone brightly, the light golden and warm.

"It shifts you know," Hades' lips were quirked into a shy smile as he pressed a button on the wall. The glow from the crystal instantly turned from a blinding gold to a soft silver, bathing everything with shimmering light. Twinkling flashes of light caught her eye and she looked up, a gasp tumbling from her mouth. Dozens of diamonds, some as big as her fist, had been crafted into the ceiling, glittering like stars.

"Do you like it?"

"Like it? I love it! It's wonderful," she spun around to face him, her eyes glowing in the low light. He smiled back shyly and she could see that he looked both relieved and pleased by her answer.

"I'm glad," his low murmur was husky, setting her on the edge and making her shiver. A predatorial light shone in his eyes, mixing with the pure love that he held for her and spinning in dizzying circles that captured her very breath. But he made no move toward her, regarding her carefully but adoringly. Persephone got the feeling that it would be up to her to make the first move.

"So," her voice was a breathy whisper and she noticed his eyes darken instantly, "Are we going to stand around here talking or am I going to have to drag you to _our _bedroom?"

She made sure to emphasize _our_…she wouldn't have that silly 'separate rooms' this time. His Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he struggled to control himself. She smirked, saddling up beside him. All throughout the six months above ground, he'd driven her crazy, always keeping in control of the situation to make sure it didn't get out of hand. While it was a thoughtful act, it left Persephone unsatisfied on more than one account. And at times, she could almost see the teasing light in his azure gaze when she whined for him to continue. This was payback…Now was the time for her revenge.

"Unless, you've got better things to do," she whispered breathily into his ear, smirking when she saw him shiver.

So quick that she didn't even see him move, he had her pinned to the pomegranate tree, his nearly onyx eyes scorching with heated promises of passionate kisses and tangled limbs. Her heart beat irregularly in her chest and the familiar heat settled into her core, quickly traveling through her body like molten lava. They stayed frozen like that for a few seconds, gazing at each other. His eyes slowly softened back to a cobalt blue and he suddenly looked very vulnerable.

"I…I must admit, I was unsure of how to proceed. Six months have gone by, Persephone…You might have rethought…"

She didn't give him time to finish his sentence, viciously tugging his head down and capturing his lips, her body arching into his. She broke away before he could respond to the touch, resting her forehead on his.

"Hades…If I hadn't wanted…needed…your company, I wouldn't have come back, much less put up with it for the past six months," her tone was fierce as she tried to beat it into his thick head that she wasn't leaving him. Her heart skipped a beat as his eyes brightened considerably to a midnight blue and she couldn't help falling just a little bit more in love with him, if that was even possible considering how far in she already was.

"I'm sorry," he truly did sound repentant she noticed, "It just feels so surreal…I always feel like this happiness will end in the blink of an eye. That one day…you'll tire of me."

"Hades, look at me," she gently nudged his face until he was staring straight at her, "That day will never, EVER happen…Understand?"

"I'm starting to," he growled playfully into her ear, frazzling her nerves and setting her senses into overload instantly. She couldn't stop the moan from slipping out of her mouth and she felt him tense under her fingertips.

'Good,' she thought smugly, 'If I have to suffer through this torment, so should he.'

Her thoughts were instantly erased as he crushed her to his body and his lips found hers, desperate and fiery. She tangled her hands into his dark hair as his hand slowly traveled down her side and pulled her thigh up onto his hip, pushing her against the tree. The bark scratched at her back but she barely paid it any mind, her only focus being the dark god trailing fiery kisses on her exposed collarbone.

"Bedroom," she moaned as he gently nipped at her neck, leaving a bright red mark, "NOW."

He obliged with her request, quickly teleporting them into his chambers. They fell onto the bed with a dull thump, the heat between them escalating to ridiculous heights. Hades suddenly froze, looking down at the gasping girl beneath him with loving cobalt eyes. She met his gaze questioningly, a small whine escaping when he stopped.

"I love you," he breathed out, "You…You promise to stay with me…forever?"

Persephone smiled up at him, bringing his head down for a chaste kiss, "You really are clueless…You aren't getting rid of me that easily. I love you, Hades. So much that I don't think it's possible for me to survive without you."

A brilliant smile appeared on his lips and Persephone forgot how to breathe for a minute…She had forgotten how dangerous his smiles were. The smile suddenly turned a bit darker and his eyes skimmed her slipping dress with amusement.

"I believe we were in the middle of something, weren't we my Queen?"

"Indeed," a similar smile emerged on her own face as she pulled him down on top of her, losing herself in the passionate fire that exploded within her.

The last conscious thought her mind was able to process was a thankful prayer to the gods, especially to Aphrodite and Eros, for helping her find a true love…

And for those tiny pomegranate seeds that allowed her to stay with him.

~THE END~

*Author's note: Thank you for all those who stuck through until the end. It has been a pleasure. I'm sorry if the ending is a little lame...I wasn't quite sure how to end it...But I thought that I should end with the seeds. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews that all of you have given me over the chapters. I bid you Adieu.


	20. Epilogue

Author's Note: I offer my thanks to Nicolover11, who asked for an extra chapter on Hades and Persephone's kids. There's really no plot to it...it's just a little drabble. But I hope it is enjoyed. A merry Christmas to all.

Hades looked out over the battlefield, gauging the casualties. He was pleased with what he found. The dead were not much, though there was a lot of wounded. Still, he could tell that most of those soldiers had superficial wounds, and would recover in due time. He would have to thank Athena for that later. And he would have to make sure to…intimidate…Ares into submission again. It was a cycle that grated on him, for he hated dealing with the war god. He knew Ares acted out this way in an attempt to get back at him for making the war god look like the coward that he was. What Hades couldn't get the war god to understand is that by doing this, he brought more punishment on himself.

Hades sighed and shook his head, clearing away thoughts of his relatives. A soft sound drew his attention to the blonde at his side, one of the reasons why he was here, as he usually never visited the battlefield. She looked up at him expectantly with brilliant green eyes, eliciting a smile from him. He nodded in approval and gestured her toward the battlefield, watching protectively.

The blonde flitted around the corpses, her eyes scanning the faces of the fallen. She must have finally found the right one, for she stopped and knelt down, sinking gracefully beside the dying man. A spear had been driven through his stomach, and he lay gasping on the ground. His eyes suddenly flicked to the blonde at his side, and he gasped, his face paling further.

She smiled kindly down at him, and the man seemed to relax. She placed a delicate hand onto his brow, closing her eyes, "You have fought well, soldier. Rest now. You shall receive your reward."

As soon as she finished, the man ceased breathing. The young goddess breathed a sigh of relief and contentment. She rose in a fluid motion, and flitted back over to Hades' side, her dark green eyes glowing expectantly, "How was that, Father?"

Hades patted her softly on the head, fatherly pride obvious, "You did well, Macaria."

"Is it my turn now, Father?"

Hades turned his attention to his other daughter, another fond almost-smile gracing his lips, "You may proceed, Melinoe."

The ebony-haired girl nodded, her icy blue eyes glowing with determination. Her feet barely skimmed the ground as she floated between the dead. As she passed the corpses, wispy strands flowed out of them, coalescing into spheres of smoke. These followed after the thin girl, rotating around her. They bobbed and twirled in the air, looking solid and yet at the same time unsubstantial. When she had finished, she floated back over toward them, a few hundred smoky spheres gravitating around her.

"Well-done, Melinoe," he praised her quietly, and the girl's pale cheeks seemed to redden for just a moment. Her bangs effectively covered up one side of her face, but Hades could see the pleased look in the eye that could be seen.

"That was great, Melinoe," Macaria smiled warmly at her younger sister, to which Melinoe gave a rare smile back.

"You did a great job too," was her whispered reply, and the long- and straight-haired blonde beamed with pleasure. Hades nodded in agreement, ruffling both of his daughters' hair. They naturally protested and he gave a quiet chuckle. Their business finished, Hades stepped back toward his chariot, motioning the two girls to follow him. They obediently trailed after him, clambering onto the black chariot. He gathered the reins in his hand, and, with a snap, set the horses in motion. Without warning, the ground trembled, and a fissure opened before them.

The horses jumped into the void, and with a loud rumble, the gap in the earth closed over them.

xxxxx

Persephone stood on the shore of the river Styxx, awaiting the return of her husband and daughters. She knew everything would go fine, and yet there was still a small motherly part of her that fretted. Persephone smiled fondly as she thought back to when she had first told Hades she was expecting. She had been extremely nervous, but in the end, she shouldn't have even worried. He had been at a loss for words at first, however as soon as the news sunk in, he had gathered her up in his arms and cried. She'd cried with him, their joy immeasurable. Pure children among the gods was rare, and there had been a fantastic celebration when Macaria was born.

Then, Melinoe came along. Her birth was received with just as much jubilation as Macaria. Persephone and Hades couldn't be happier, and Macaria herself was thrilled with having a baby sister. There had been a lot of teasing from the male gods with Melinoe, and Hades had surprisingly taken it rather well. Persephone's love for the God of the Underworld had increased tenfold as she observed him with their children. He was a caring and doting father, though he knew when to be stern with them.

"Look, Mama," a soft tug on her toga had her looking down at her youngest, her smile widening. Zagreus had been quite a surprise. She hadn't felt any morning sickness, and had only realized she was pregnant when her mother commented on how round she seemed. Both of her girls and husband had been excited for another addition to the family and their joy doubled when they had found out it was to be a boy.

Another insistent tug pulled her out of her thoughts of the past. Zagreus was looking up at her with gleaming mismatched eyes, one dark blue and one light green. She petted his head, fingering the black curls on his head, "Shall we go meet them?"

The soft-spoken child nodded, grasping her hand and pulling her along. She giggled softly, admiring the child's enthusiasm. Zagreus grew to be quite anxious when his sisters weren't around. But he was still too young to venture to the Above World. The mist swirled more strongly around the shore and Persephone had to squint to make out Charon's boat. She smiled when she caught sight of her husband, to which he responded with a shy one of his own. Zagreus hopped up and down, a large smile, complete with dimples, surged up on his face, "Papa! Papa!"

Hades gracefully descended from the boat, just in time to catch Zagreus, who had thrown himself forward. He chuckled, his dark blue eyes shining, as he picked up his son. Persephone stepped forward, gracing him with a quick kiss, "How did it go?"

Hades nodded approvingly, full of fatherly pride, "They did extremely well."

Macaria and Melinoe descended with a bit of help from Charon, and came to give their mother a hug. She kissed each of their cheeks, glowing with pride. Their children had all been blessed with gifts similar to their father, save Zagreus.

Macaria had the power to give a peaceful death to those who deserved it, and Hades had been tutoring her in judging which souls those were. She was a kind child, but like her father, she was also just with her dealings. She was warm to everyone she met, and Persephone knew her oldest loved both the Aboveworld and the Underworld.

Melinoe was given the power over ghosts. Wherever she wandered, those newly deceased would follow her, rotating around her. Quieter than both her siblings, Melinoe preferred solitude to crowds. She rarely spoke up, but when she did, her words were well-chosen. She had a somber air around her, and seemed sometimes like an adult stuck in a child's body. She preferred the Underworld to her mother's home Aboveworld, and wasn't too fond of her grandmother, Demeter.

Little Zagreus's power had come into effect only a few days ago. Persephone and Hades were surprised to discover that their only son had the power to bring the dead back to life. They had gone up for the winter solstice, and the young god unfortunately brought back the roasted pig to life. Their dinner had gone squealing away, and they'd had to summon Artemis, who was currently on a hunt, to catch it. Both Persephone and Hades were delighted with their child's power, though the other gods were pretty disgruntled about having to cook their dinner all over again. Zagreus was a quiet child, who found wonder in everything he saw. He loved to spend time with his mother in her special garden, and he had a knack for making things grow, like his mother did.

"Are you alright, beloved?"

Persephone came to, blinking rapidly. Hades had stooped over to look down at her, worry evident in his small frown. Zagreus was hanging off his neck, a similar worried frown on his face. The two looked so alike at that moment, despite the eye color and hair style, that Persephone giggled.

"I'm fine," she reassured both, planting a soft kiss on Hades' lips, "Just thinking on how grateful I am for all of you."

His lips twitched up into a soft smile, "Not as grateful as we are all to you. Come, love. I'm sure we're all hungry, and Cerberus will be upset if we are late for dinner."

As if to prove his remark, a loud howl split the silence. Zagreus giggled, clapping his hands, while her two daughters shook their heads, sharing an amused smile. Persephone laughed aloud, Hades' quiet chuckle soon joining her laughter. They hurried along, and Persephone once again glanced at her family, her love for them near exploding.

She didn't know how she had come to be so lucky to have them. Under her breath, she quietly whispered a prayer of thanks to the Fates, for setting her on this path of happiness, for letting her fall in love with her wonderful husband, and for allowing them to rear three beautiful children.


End file.
